The Sister Type
by Snevilly
Summary: The memory brought an embarrassed blush up across his nose. In a way it all made sense, Honey was so fond of cute things, but Takashi had never felt more shocked than when his eyes had caught sight of her wearing that rather provocative shirt. He'd been expecting to see an overweight teenage boy and instead he got...Toru. Kyoya's protégée is Haruhi's "sister," eventual Mori/OC.
1. Episode One: Host Club Dogs

**-2/19/2013- Update**

_Hello everyone! I'm so glad you've chosen to give "The Sister Type" a chance. This is mostly a walk along style story that follows the plot as it is in the anime, however I consider this to be more of a novelization of the story we know and love with the intrigue and mysteries that follow a new character, Toru. I picked drama and romance as the genres, but this also focuses on friendship and family and the different sorts of relationships that people have. The romance in this story is one built from a solid foundation and moves quite slowly over time._

_All of my "technical" author's notes will be at the bottom and all of the general notices will be at the top of each chapter. Please feel free to leave comments, questions or suggestions by clicking the review link. I read and respond to each and every one. :)_

_Once again, thanks for your time, and please enjoy the journey._

_-Snevilly_

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Episode One: Host Club Dog

Toru spent most of her free time thinking about Haruhi. There was so much she owed the younger girl, so much she couldn't repay. The rest of her classmates were chattering animatedly until the next teacher showed up, but Toru sat in the back, strategically remaining out of view. Her clothes were shapeless and unfashionable, seemingly chosen as a perfect mixture of tans, grays, and pink that would blend her into the walls of the school rather than silly notions like if they matched. When one's eyes did focus on her, there wasn't much to look at. The front pocket on her hoodie bulged, giving her a misshapen, heavier, androgynous appearance. Toru always wore her hood low so that her face was cast in its shadow. She looked genderless and boring.

There was a squeal from two rows in front of her. Her hazel eyes were drawn toward the yellow clad figure of Chiagi. The brown haired girl was blushing profusely, probably at something Tamaki had done. A chorus of happy sighs whispered through the room as the girls in the elegant yellow uniform gossiped about Prince Tamaki and Kyoya. Toru glanced at the boys, careful to angle herself in such a way that she wouldn't be seen.

Tamaki was his usual shimmering self. He spouted off prose and poetry, creating a romantic atmosphere. One could practically envision the classroom filled with the provocative scent of roses, the moody light of candles. Each glance gave his willing victims the erotic image of ownership, as if he were theirs and theirs alone for that moment in time. She'd never been privy to that gaze directly, but she'd watched him use it and had learned to avoid it. "We've completely redecorated the club room, my lovely," his amethyst eyes were simmering with feeling. "Its still nothing compared to your beauty, my Goddess."

Kyoya seemed more pleased than usual. Toru's lip quirked involuntarily. A pleased Kyoya was at his most predatory. She watched his sharp eyes flicker over the girls around him and outward toward the rest of the room. Toru made sure her face was firmly behind a text book for the next class when the dark boy's gaze swept over her area of the room. After, she could see the pleased crook of his lips when the sighs of romantic adulation had reached their peak and all the girls in the class watched Tamaki with rapt attention. He was a shark that scented blood in the water. That's when Kyoya spoke, "Remember Hime-samas, the auction will take place next week, just a day before final bookings for the month," he gave them that rare, polite smile and another round of sighs started.

Toru shook her head and retreated behind the wall of her book. An auction didn't sound very helpful to her current problem. She needed to figure out how to get Haruhi to loosen up a little. It was a difficult task, the younger girl spent her time studying or doing mundane household chores. She didn't see old school friends, she never went on dates and if there had been a single spontaneous moment since Toru had moved in at the end of the last school year, she couldn't remember it. Haruhi seemed perfectly unmotivated to do anything about it and it was that stubbornness that made Toru's job difficult. She wanted to do something fun tonight, but if Haruhi got her way, they'd probably just end up staying at school late and studying..._again_.

* * *

Library Room #1 had been requested for use by the Library club. Library Room #2 was currently being rented out by the Drama club for a Ghost Busters parody. Haruhi and Toru had been mistaken for extras and allowed entrance, but after the third "paranormal" interruption, Haruhi had begun to look really depressed and Toru suggested they try again. Library Room #3 apparently used that time block for tutoring, but unfortunately you had to sign up ahead of time, and there was a two week wait.

By the time the girls reached Library Room #4, they had trekked around the _vast_ campus toting all their books and study supplies. In Toru's case, that was an extra thirty pounds of books shoved into the pouch of her hoodie. Between her baggy clothes and the junk she carried in her front pocket, she looked fifty pounds heavier. She felt her eyes drooping and knew focusing on school work was going to be a difficult task even with Haruhi there to nag her into submission.

As they pushed the large doors open, the noise of chattering buzzed at them like the drone of a fly swarm. It sounded like they'd entered a cafeteria, but students stood laughing and socializing around the book shelves. Some sat, drinking tea and catching up with their friends. The girls just looked at each other dumbfounded. With an exhausted sigh, they pushed the doors closed again, retreating from yet another failure.

Haruhi started walking and Toru instinctively followed. The younger girl's mood was contemplative and somber. Toru could tell Haruhi was thinking about her deceased mother and her dream of following her footsteps as a lawyer. She tried to lighten the mood, "You know, given the spirit of fanaticism the girls seem to have here, there were probably _at least_ a hundred copies of Twilight in there." The taller girl frowned as she spoke, "It's quite possible I would have exploded from the proximity."

Haruhi didn't take the bait, "You know, I'm beginning to think rich kids only go to school to have a good time." Her voice was soft and somber.

Without missing a beat, Toru smiled, "Maybe you're onto something." Pointing forward at the grand staircase before them she skipped ahead, "They're probably all too lazy to climb _all_ these stairs. We could scout out the top floor." Toru patted Haruhi's shoulder when the smaller girl drew even with her. Haruhi's gaze was still far away as they began their journey upwards.

Once they'd finished their ascent, movement along the wall caught Toru's eye. A lovely mirror with an intricately beveled edge covered a five foot long section of the wall and reflected Haruhi's appearance. The tall girl grinned at the resulting mish-mashed effect and stepped forward into the view. Silver filigree decorated the edge of the mirror and ornate marble vase's decorated low wooden displays. The floral arrangements were probably several hundred dollars each, considering the number of exotic fauna present. The finery clashed with the two plain figures in the reflection.

They were both wearing hideous glasses that covered the features of their faces. Alone with Haruhi, Toru stood at her full height, towering over her friend at almost six feet tall. Haruhi looked like someone who just didn't give a damn about appearances. Her hair was a mess, her posture stooped, her shirt untucked, and her sweater bunched awkwardly from wear. Haruhi looked completely androgynous. In a crowd of students, Toru could hide along the edges, Haruhi would stick out like a sore thumb and move obliviously through the throng of students. In this deserted hallway of exquisite murals, expertly chiseled sculptures, and lovely marble inlays, the girls seemed just as out of place.

Toru noticed the door before they reached it. The hall reached a T junction, but there was only an alcove to the left before a dead end. A sign above the door declared it to be Music Room #3. "An abandoned music room?" Toru's voice was hopeful.

Haruhi's expression was resigned. "I guess this is the only place we'll be able to study." When she opened the door, they found the Host club.

"Welcome to the Host club," a gentle, but intoxicating breeze of swirling rose petals caressed them.

"Host club?" the girls spoke in unison. Toru sounded confused, as if the term were not found in her dictionary. Haruhi sounded appalled, as if the term were found in the _wrong_ sort of dictionary. Toru's gaze was locked on Haruhi as if awaiting an answer.

"Only those with excellent social standing and those from _filthy rich_ families are lucky enough to spend their time here at the elite private school, Ouran Academy. The Ouran Host club is where the schools _handsomest _boys, with too much time on their hands, entertain young ladies, who also have way too much time on their hands. Just think of it as Ouran Academy's elegant playground for the super rich and beautiful," Tamaki's voice was unmistakable. Nothing so _pompous_ sounding could have come off as elegant or agreeable from anyone else.

Haruhi seemed shocked to the core. Toru watched her sag against the doors behind them, as if trying to melt through the pretty pink wood. She'd never seen her friend look so disheveled, even when Rankapoppa was at his worst.

"Oh wow, they're boys," the twins spoke in unison. Toru's hooded eyes flashed over to them at the insult. They didn't look mean or mischievous at the moment, perhaps a bit bored. They were light skinned, had impeccable posture and stood side by side as the perfect reflection to one another. Their red hair was parted based on the position, left and right.

"Hikaru, Kaoru, that visitor is in the same class as you, right?" Kyoya stood next to them, posture rigid, his arms crossed over his chest in their usual barrier position and from the distance, his glasses blocked out whatever information his eyes might have given away. Toru couldn't tell if he recognized her or not, but given Kyoya's reputation for knowing everything, she didn't doubt it.

"Yes, he is, but he isn't very sociable, so we don't know him too well," once again, their speech was perfectly together. Even more amazing, their motions, the way they turned their heads to look at Kyoya and shrug, they were also perfectly in sync. Toru couldn't help, but feel a little insulted for poor Haruhi at this point. She did look androgynous, but her eyes, really, her petite frame, gave it away, right?

Kyoya smirked and pushed his glasses back into place, "Its impolite to say it like that." Toru grinned, he _did_ know. The twins shrugged at each other, one the mirror of the others confusion. Kyoya's muted gaze locked in on the girls.

"Welcome to the Ouran Host club, _Fujioka_ Toru, and Honor Student," his normally even voice had placed subtle emphasis on Toru's assumed last name. She froze in place. Did he know? She'd gone through a great deal of effort to keep her family name concealed, for her own protection and Haruhi's. His gaze was steady, taking in all the little details. She remained confident in the fact that her current outfit concealed any of her usual tells, most importantly, the expression on her face.

"What? Then, this exceptionally rare honor student we've heard about, Fujioka Haruhi, is you?!" Tamaki was leaning forward in amazement. He sat on a beautifully carved chair with plush, red cushions looking every bit the part of a royal prince. "I didn't know Fujioka from our class and Fujioka the honor student were related."

Haruhi was trying to escape and fumbled with the door handle to no avail. She turned, looking at the blonde with a scandalized expression and interrupted that train of thought, "What? How do you know my name?" Toru was uncomfortable with Haruhi's panicked fidgeting and moved further into the room.

It was Kyoya who provided an answer, "It's just that our school tradition makes it difficult for commoners to get in. I've been told that unless you possess a rather _audacious_ nerve, you cannot be an honor student here."

The rather insulted, exasperated, expression on Haruhi's face was made somewhat humorous by the awkward acceptance of his statement. "Why...thank you..."

"Don't worry, Haruhi. I'm a fan of audacious," Toru turned back to her friend and gave her a thumbs up. She was careful and avoided the expensive looking vase on the pedestal. Out of caution she stepped further away from it. As she moved, Tamaki seemed to glide by her and appear beside Haruhi.

"Yes! He's saying you're a hero, Fujioka-kun," Tamaki put a casual hand on Haruhi's shoulder. "Even though you might be at the head of the class, you're the _poorest_ person in the whole school. You're a _hero_ to other poor people!"

Haruhi side stepped away from the boy's contact and walked away looking for another exit, "I wouldn't go that far." Tamaki didn't seem to notice her rebuff and followed.

"It doesn't matter, does it? _Long live the poor!_" He poured on the sparkle. Haruhi was making her way over to Toru when Tamaki became impassioned once again, "Welcome to our world of beauty, poor man!"

He was gorgeous and it had hilarious little effect on Haruhi. The smaller girl turned and headed calmly towards the door. "Goodbye. Toru, lets go."

A tiny blonde and blue blur whisked by Toru and grabbed Haruhi by the arm, dragging her even with her tall friend. It was a short, fair haired boy that looked like he belonged in the green of an elementary uniform rather than the blue of a high schooler's. "Ne Haru-chan!" Even his voice was cute, "Haru-chan, you're a hero? Amazing!" His bubbly praise was infectious and you could practically see little pink flowers dancing about his aura.

Haruhi looked disheveled to say the least. She had just been hauled across the room by someone half her size. "I'm not a hero, I'm an honor student," she said it almost like a mantra. And then she snapped. "AND WHO ARE YOU CALLING HARU-CHAN?!" her angry snarl had an immediate effect on the boy. He squealed uncomfortably and tears rushed out of his eyes.

The little blonde sobbed as he ran towards the tallest figure in the room. He was darker skinned and more athletic looking than the other boys, he was also the only person who'd been silent from the beginning of this strange encounter. He was bent over wiggling a stuffed pink bunny back and forth in front of the little blonde who'd sought him out for comfort, it was _almost_ comical.

Toru wasn't amused though, because she was too irritated. She flashed Haruhi a clearly annoyed look. Normally the petite girl didn't react so...cruelly, at least not to children. She vaguely registered Tamaki speaking again as she moved over to the little blonde and knelt behind him. Toru was just the right height for him to see her face without anyone else doing the same. She adopted his speech pattern and spoke in a soothing, quiet voice, "Ne, don't mind Haruhi," she apologized for her friend's rudeness. "We all get a little cranky when we miss nappy-time, yeah?" She bit her lip and dug around in the pocket of her hoodie before offering the little one a chocolate bunny sucker wrapped in pink cellophane, "Here, cutie pies shouldn't cry." She tilted her head to the side and smiled at him.

He wiped his tears and beamed at her. His little frame practically bounced on her in an enthusiastic hug, which she returned, before he took the offered lolly. _What an adorable child_, she thought.

Tamaki's voice snapped her out of her musings. "Having our first openly gay member is interesting! Tell me what type of boy you would like."

Toru watched, in shock, as Tamaki gestured towards the tallest boy. "The wild type." His eyes were almost as dark as his hair and there was a subtly displeased tilt in his mouth. There wasn't anything particularly "wild" about his appearance. "The boy lolita type," the little blonde looked up and beamed happily as he munched on his bunny sucker. The cute, pink bunny was cradled in his other arm. "The little devil type," the twins turned in unison, leaning against each other's back. Their name seemed more appropriate, the smirk on their face dripped mischievousness. "The cool type," Kyoya didn't gesture at or acknowledge Tamaki's introduction, but Toru could think of no better Ice Prince than Kyoya.

Toru suddenly wondered just what type of place this really was. She moved away from the boys and found herself heading back towards the door.

"Its not like that! We were just looking for a quiet place to study!" Haruhi's voice was strained.

Tamaki's tone was practically sultry as he ignored her statement. "Or maybe you'd like to try _me_? How about it?" Toru looked over her shoulder in time to see Tamaki run his fingers up Haruhi's jawline.

That's when the petite brunette _really_ lost it, she cried out a bit and lurched backwards, slamming into Toru and launching them both into the podium. Toru was too busy keeping her face from being smashed to worry about the ornate looking vase they knocked off, but Haruhi made a grab for it. The impact was hard and the tinkling sound of expensive china shattering seemed to echo through the room.

At this point, Toru was slumped over the pedestal with Haruhi draped over her back. When the twins seemed to press in as well, Toru began to feel a little claustrophobic as Haruhi's panic set in and she began to fidget.

"Ahh! The Renaissance vase for the auction!" One of the red head's started. "Now you've done it. We were going to start the bidding at eight million yen for that!" The other finished.

"Eight million yen!" Haruhi was mortified. Toru twisted enough to lift Haruhi up and set her on the ground, she was clearly running numbers worriedly. The petite brunette looked up at the twins and spoke, "Um, can I pay you back?"

Toru righted herself and sat calmly on the pedestal as the twins spoke again, "Could you?" Two pairs of amber eyes gave them a once over, "You can't even afford the uniform. What's with those awful clothes, anyway?"

Haruhi was practically trembling. Toru's attention flashed to Kyoya who'd moved close to her side and knelt before the shattered remains of the Renaissance vase. He carefully picked up a shard and examined it in the light, "What will it be, Tamaki?"

"Have you ever heard of this saying? When in Rome, do as the Romans do!" The prince was sitting in his throne, legs crossed. His chin rested elegantly on the knuckles of his right hand as his left gestured with dramatic flair. It was his words and air that were affected by a sudden change in attitude. "If you have no money, then pay with your body. Starting today, the both of you are Host club dogs."

Shock must have reset Haruhi's brain. She stood stock still with the goofiest expression on her face. Toru watched as the boy's gathered around them. Tamaki waved his hands in front of Haruhi's unresponsive face. The twin's leaned in close. Kyoya looked like his normal observant, yet uninterested self. The tall one had a confused quirk to his right eyebrow, but the rest of his face was blank. The little blond stood in front of Toru and nudged Haruhi with his fingers, even narrating his action in a cute voice, "Poke, poke."

The tall girl watched her friend fall sideways and land hard on the ground. She nudged Haruhi with the toe of her shoe, "Oy, I'm _not_ carrying your scrawny ass home..."

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A/N: I'm going through the process of editing all of the currently uploaded stuff now. Chapter 7 is almost finished and I'll be making an announcement soon about the release date.

I'm currently looking for more beta readers for all of my projects. If you're interested please PM me.


	2. Episode One: The Host and the Protégée

**Episode One: The Host and the Protégée**

Pink seemed to be a major theme in the Ouran's color scheme and the 3rd Music room was no exception. Even the filigree of crown molding on the ceiling was a dark pink that stood out in contrast to the lighter shade that peaked through. Opulent chandeliers were hung through out the room, dripping in expensive pink crystals. It was skillfully done so that the color didn't overpower the eyes, everything was soft and feminine. The rich wood of the furniture stood out in contrast, grounding the silk clad customers in the dreamy atmosphere. Each table was small, cozy and intimate, dressed with elegant vases filled to the brim with roses and trailing ivy. Everyone and everything looked polished and refined.

The customers chatted happily. The calming scent of tea mingled with the intoxicating aroma of roses to create an air of romanticism. "Tamaki-kun, what's your favorite music?" Toru stood at the door with Haruhi and looked over the room before them with a grouchy countenance, "That one tune that reminds me of _you_, of course." Toru, arms laden with heavy paper bags, was not moved by his cheap sentiment, "What a smarmosaurus," she muttered. "I baked you some cake today, will you have it?" Tamaki's hands were suddenly on his customer's face, tilting her chin up to gaze into his eyes, "If you will feed it to me." Haruhi mutter under her breath, "Rich bastards."

The customer seemed to squirmed away in pleasure at his suggestion. The girl to his left spoke, interrupting the other customer's happy time, "Tamaki-sama, I heard you're keeping some _un-pedigreed_ little kittens?"

"I wouldn't say kittens, more like...Oh, speak of the devil..." amethyst eyes locked onto his newly acquired slaves. "Thanks for shopping for us, little piglets." Toru glared, though the effect was lost from the depths of her hood. Haruhi sweat-dropped and looked stunned for a moment, "P-pig?" Toru murmured through gritted teeth, "_What an ass-hat_."

Toru sat her bag on the table and dusted her hands off, as if relieving herself of the task. She turned her back on the princely blonde and put some distance between them before facing him and Haruhi again. "Did you find everything on the list? What's _this_?" He was holding the Hescafe Special Blend instant coffee Haruhi had picked out. Toru had not followed her down the coffee isle, the over powering mixture of scents made the older girl nauseous.

"Just what it looks like, its coffee." Haruhi's voice was bland. Tamaki's eyes were fixed on the label. Cake girl's hands were clasped and she was clearly interested in whatever her Tamaki-sama was interested in. Toru noticed her hair had cute little braided loops fixed on each side of her head. In contrast, the customer to the right of Tamaki had her eyes shut and an expression of extreme boredom on her face. "I've never seen this name brand. Is this the kind that's already ground?" Tamaki just wasn't getting it, so Toru intervened, "_No_, its instant."

The Host King's other customers were seated opposite of him on a couch together. Chiagi was recognizable from class, no one could forget that long wavy hair. The other girl had darker, long hair, but her bangs were cut bluntly over her eyes and again at her cheeks. Their hands were drawn up to their chests in rapt attention at the exchange. They leaned to the left in unison and cocked their heads, "Instant?"

Tamaki's eyes bulged suddenly, giving him a comical expression, "Oh! _Commoner's_ coffee where you only have to add hot water, right?" As if by magical force, nine other girls appeared behind the couch, each mirroring Chiagi, with their hands drawn timidly up to their chests or covering their mouths. "Oh, I've heard of this," Chiagi's voice was filled with awe. The dark haired girl beside her spoke next, "Oh, yes. So its true about poor people not having any free time, so they can't even grind their own beans, huh?" she actually sounded a little bereft at the thought. The girls who were lined up behind them all nodded their heads in agreement.

Toru was now glad she moved away, it was as if the entire room were congregating around that one couch. Two more girls had come to stand on the left of Tamaki's couch, while another three stood on the right. A twin on each side, with Haruhi and Kyoya wedged in the middle. It was Kyoya who spoke as he leaned over to read the label, "Commoners have their own brand of wisdom."

"Its _a lot_ cheaper than what we usually get," one twin stated. "A _huge_ price drop," the other added. Haruhi was a little sheepish at all the attention at this point, "I'll go buy something else! _Excuse me_ for not getting expensive beans." At that moment, Toru wished Haruhi could see all their faces, not one had been teasing her. They didn't seem to be disappointed in Haruhi's choice, just...awed by the unknown.

"No, wait. _I'll drink this_!" Tamaki's declaration had a varied effect on the crowd. Shock was most common, followed by excitement. A few even looked worried or concerned, as if he were about to try something potentially dangerous. The twins looked at him like a hero. The customers and the twins were clapping. If Toru had to guess at the meaning of the expression on Kyoya's face, she'd have gone with scandalized, but it was hard to tell. There was also one perfectly frozen expression of boredom that stood out from the pack. Tamaki stood and walked over to another table, "Alright, Haruhi, come here and make this commoners' coffee." Everyone had begun to follow.

Toru stood behind with Haruhi, who looked exasperated, and the bored girl on the couch, who finally set her tea cup down. "Oh, Tamaki-sama, you carry the joke too far," her voice was filled with a teasing reprimand. "There's no way that such a _lowly_ person's drink will be to your taste." It was the disdainful expression in her eyes that made Toru's teeth grit. "Huh?" Haruhi didn't seem offended in the least. "Sorry, I was talking to myself," the other girl replied, and though her pretty face turned up with a smile, something about it rang insincere.

"_Haruhi_!" Tamaki's impatient voice rang out and the petite brunette sagged a bit before walking over to make his instant coffee. As Haruhi left, Toru sat down in the spot abandoned by Chiagi. There was silence as the other girl didn't acknowledge her presence one way or another.

Toru got a good look at the girls features. Flawless skin, reddish brown hair, and cool gray eyes made for quite a pretty combination. Gray eyes were fixed on Haruhi, and her sharp hazel gaze did not miss their intent. Toru smirked suddenly and looked over at the others gathered around the table as Haruhi poured hot water into cups. "Amazing how something so common could ensnare Tamaki-san's attention," the subject was left deliciously ambiguous from Toru's soft statement. "Trash is common enough and gone before too long," the princess's voice was pleasant as her gray eyes flickered to Toru. It was as if they were exchanging compliments. "You and your friend shouldn't get comfortable." Toru's smile was fully visible to the girl before her, all teeth and daring, her voice dripped with sweetness, "Oh, Hime-sama, we're quite comfortable already," Toru stood, taking full advantage of her height as she looked down at the prissy girl, their gazes locked, "and I don't see anyone formidable enough to change that."

The girls squealed suddenly and Toru glanced over to see Tamaki holding Chiagi in his arms, no doubt spouting off some coffee related euphemism. The prissy girl's attention was already back on Tamaki and that made the perfect moment for Toru's graceful exit.

Haruhi had just finished making coffee, but Toru didn't really feel up to being within sight of her newly gained enemy, so she followed her ears. Laughter caught her attention and brought her to the table the twins were entertaining at. The twin with his hair parted on the left was Kaoru and the one with the part on the right was Hikaru, though they liked to confuse people often enough. She'd learned this before heading to the grocery store. It was presumably Hikaru's laughter that had drawn her attention, "So then, he had this terrible dream, and when he bolted up from it..."

"Hikaru! Not that story!" Kaoru pulled back, shoulders hunched in a feminine, embarrassed way as he brought his hand up as a barrier, "You're awful, telling that story in front of others." Tears seamed to gather and fall from the corner of his eye. "_Kaoru_," Hikaru's voice was low, concerned. He leaned over suddenly and cupped Kaoru's face, drawing it to his own until they were, but inches apart, "Gomen Kaoru, but you were just so cute when it happened. I couldn't help myself." Kaoru gazed up at Hikaru, they were both blushing, and murmured his brother's name, "_Hikaru_..."

There was a high pitched squealing noise and their customer's blushed tomato red and screamed, "_**Wah!**_ What beautiful brotherly love!" Toru had watched the whole scene, expression caught between puzzlement and mild disgust. Haruhi walk by with a tea tray and summed up Toru's feeling's perfectly, "Why are they crying for joy? I just don't get it."

Toru felt her spine twitch between her shoulder blades and turned to find Mori walking through the archway behind her. He was standing tall with his hands in his pockets, completely heedless of the legs that seemed to sprout over his forearms, or the little blonde head that popped over his right shoulder. Honey's face was flush and he seemed half asleep mid-piggy back. She felt her lips twitch and covered her smile with the back of her hand. "I'm sorry, I'm late," his drowsy voice was soft and endearing.

"Honey-kun! Mori-kun! We've been waiting for you," the excited call came from Mori's customer. Toru moved out of the tall senior's path. "I'm sorry. I was waiting for Takashi to get out of Kendo club, but I drifted off to sleep." His droopy eyes were dreamy and his little posture was somber as Mori sat him down, "And I still seem to be sleepy." He was rubbing his eyes and his little face was drawn in a frown. The uber cuteness sent his the customers into a blushing frenzy and they squirmed happily in their seats. Toru dug in her hoodie pocket, fingers expertly maneuvering around all the items until she found what she was searching for. "Honey-chan, would an Usa-lolli help?" The beaming response from the little blonde was enough, Toru tossed him the chocolate sucker and grinned happily before retreating back to the archway where Haruhi was watching.

"Is Honey-senpai really a 3rd year?" Haruhi's voice was quite, incredulous. "_**What? He's a third year!**_" Toru stood frozen in front of her friend. Disbelief, then shock, lastly she was mortified as she looked back to the little blonde. Could she have accidentally offended him? He seemed to be munching away happily on his sucker as the girls were all still squirming, giddy from his presence.

"Despite his appearance, Honey-senpai is an 18 year old prodigy." Kyoya's calm voice interjected. Toru turned to see him standing beside Haruhi in the archway as they watched Honey's table. "Mori-senpai's draw is his silent disposition."

"Haru-chan!" Honey suddenly leapt onto Haruhi's arms, the force made her spin in a circle twice before he touched down again. "Haruh-chan, want to have some cake with me?" His cocoa eyes were wide and his smile huge, His aura popped with flowers. "No, I don't really like sweets..." Haruhi looked dizzy from the spinning. "Well, I'll let you borrow my bunny, Usa-chan!" Haruhi's eyebrows raised fractionally, "No, I'm not really up for Usa-chan either." His big eyes watered suddenly, "_You don't like my Usa-chan_?" The smiling pink bunny was thrust upwards. The petite brunette stood there for a moment, staring at the soft plush until her mouth broke unto a smile and she leaned forward, "It is cute, isn't it." Toru watched as Honey's eyes widened and a happy little blush covered his cheeks. There was a spark of discovery in his eyes.

* * *

Haruhi o*****oo*o

* * *

"Take good care of it!" Honey chirped and then pounced on the lap of one of his customers and began squirming around, making cute noises. Toru shook her head a little, as if that would somehow get rid of the goofy grin she had plastered to her mouth. She placed a cool hand on her face and shrunk further into her hood.

"Our club's policy is to utilize everyone's individual characteristics, to respond to the needs of our guests." Kyoya's voice drew Haruhi and Toru's attention. "Around here, Tamaki is King, with a 70 percent request rate." Toru wasn't surprised. One day, she'd hear one to many, "_Oooh Tamaki!"s_ in class and snap like a disgruntled postal worker. Haruhi looked depressed, "What is the world coming to?" It was a sentiment they shared.

"By the way, with your 8 million yen debt, the two of you will be dogs until you graduate, oh pardon me, _errand boys_." He smiled his Host smile as he apologized and immediately followed with an implied threat, "You're free to run away, but my family employs an able, private, police force of roughly 100. Do you have passports?" Toru's posture shifted subtly, _she didn't respond well to threats;_ Haruhi, on the other hand, looked devastated at the prospect. In her shock, she was hanging on to Usa-chan as if her life depended on it.

"Yes, be sure to work hard, Lame-o." Tamaki seemed to appear out of nowhere and blew into Haruhi's ear, causing her to squeal a little and jump forward. "Please don't do that!" Haruhi's voice was rough with the terrifying chill he'd sent down her spine. "You're not going to get any girls, as disheveled as you look." Tamaki's observational skills were...astounding.

Toru had a feeling about the sort of rambling, pompous conversation Tamaki was about to start with _himself_ for Haruhi's benefit. She gave her friend a sympathetic glance as the blonde started waxing on about the importance of becoming a beautiful, fine young man to please the ladies. Frankly, Toru thought he was taking his little joke too far. He couldn't really of mistaken Haruhi for a boy, could he? _No, he can't be that stupid._ She moved further away to escape Tamaki's foolishness. She tended to zone out when he got too long winded.

"Roo-chan!" Toru's spine twitched just before a soft impact connected, little arms wrapped around her neck, careful to let her breathe, just as little legs wrapped around her hips. Honey pounced on her and landed piggy back, like he'd been with Mori earlier. She couldn't help but laugh, "Roo-chan? _Roo-chan_? Ne, what's with Roo-chan?" Honey's arms tightened in a hug, "Toru-chan has kangaroo pouch!" Toru grabbed onto his legs, bracing him, "Ne, are kangaroo's the ones that hop?" Honey chirped happily, "Hai!" The tall girl began to hop around the room. It looked quite odd, considering there was some parts of the wall Toru blended into well, so it looked like Honey was levitating really high if you weren't paying attention. "Takashi!" he cried out happily. Toru looked over to see the other senior's expression as they hopped in his direction, "We're like Usa-chan!" Toru watched the silent type crack a small, shy smile at the sight of them. "Am I a bunny now? I could be Usa-roo!" Honey shrieked with laughter and she watched as Mori lifted him off her back and then placed the little blond on his shoulder.

"Come have cake with us! Wouldn't that would be fun, Takashi?" Honey's happy trill was hard to resist, plus, Toru _liked_ cake. "Ah." She grinned at his one word affirmation, pretty sure that was the first sound she'd heard out of Mori since she'd met him the day before. Toru followed them back to their table. Mori sat, Honey still comfortable on his shoulder. The spot intended for her was obvious. There were two girls sitting comfortably facing the boys and one seat beside Mori. She took her spot and then poured herself a cup of tea. "Hime-samas, this is Fujioka Toru," Honey began formally, "Host Club _puppy_!" Toru snorted into her tea cup before looking up at the little blonde fiend, "Are we still playing? Inu-chan would be fine by me..." Reaching into her pouch she pulled out another Usa-lolli. "Would you like some?" she offered to the group in general. The girls declined, unsure of commoner candies. Mori sat impassively, his gaze focused on the lolli with a slight quirk in his eye brow. Honey didn't disappoint, "YES!" She tossed him one before fishing out another and popping it into her mouth.

"Fujioka? Isn't that Haruhi's family name as well. Are you related?" Toru was a terrible liar, it was one of the reasons she really enjoyed having a hood drawn over her face. She told the truth as best as she could, "Mmmhmm." The excuse of the Usa-lolli in her mouth worked well. "Oh, amazing!" the same girl exclaimed. "I'm Amakira Aiyu." The girl beside her nodded, "I'm Mifuoji Saia." Saia leaned forward this time, "You're a second year, right? I heard you transferred in at the start of the year." Toru nodded and Saia smiled happily, "I thought so!" Toru felt pleased, for the most part, the girls seemed to make their own conversation. Aiyu poured herself a fresh cup of tea, "How old are you? You're very tall for a second year." There was no malice in her voice so Toru didn't take it as an insult. She shrugged and spoke nonchalantly, "I'm 18. I failed last year because I missed six months of school." This seemed to floor her audience, Honey almost fell sideways off Mori's shoulder, "Is Inu-chan a bad student?" Toru grinned, Haruhi would have answered for her in the affirmative there. "No, Honey-senpai. I was in the hospital for a long time," pushing away old memories, Toru took a healthy sip of tea. "Oh my!" Saia exclaimed, "Whatever for?"

"I was...injured." Toru's gaze was focused behind Mori. "_Uh oh_, what on earth are they doing to Haruhi...?" she stood suddenly and trotted off in the direction she'd been focused on. Honey hopped down beside Mori and the four of them watched her go, the girls fussing over a new bit of gossip. Honey's gaze was more somber than usual as he watched her leave.

The twin's were standing over Haruhi as they looked into her doe eyes in complete shock. Toru stood behind Haruhi, ready to help her friend if she bolted from their grasp. She vaguely registered that Mori, Honey, and Kyoya had moved off behind the twins to watch. The twins were staring at Haruhi's face, unimpeded by her hideous glasses. Suddenly Tamaki had parted the twins like the red sea and stood before Haruhi, purple eyes shocked. He took a deep breath and then composed himself.

With a snap of his fingers, Haruhi's life changed. "Hikaru. Kaoru." The twins each grabbed one of Haruhi's arms and dashed out of the room, heedless of her protests. Toru was stunned by the suddenness of it, and by then, Tamaki had turned toward Kyoya, who already had his cell out, "Kyoya, call my hair stylist." The Prince type pointed to the tall senior next, "Mori-senpai, to the doctor. Arrange for contact lenses." To Toru's further surprise, Mori took off at a run. Honey popped up then, "Tama-chan! What about me?" his eyes were extra shiny in his excitement to help.

"Honey-senpai, Inu-chan looks like she could use some cake..." The small senior's gaze turned to Toru, who looked pale and confused, a _sure sign_ of needing cake. "Okay!" Before she knew it, Toru found herself at a tiny little table, Honey on one side, Usa-chan on the other. A vanilla cake with strawberries sat in the middle of the table with a rose filled vase behind it. Between the sweet smell of cake and the drug like effect of the rose perfume, Toru found herself eating cake, _delicious cake_, without thought.

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Haruhi o********o

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Forkful after forkful, plate after plate, Toru stopped counting and focused on the rich flavor. Worry was abandoned once she realized they were giving Haruhi a makeover. She indulged in the treat Honey offered her with a similar enthusiasm to his own. It had been so long since she'd had such expertly made food and Toru was thoroughly enjoying every sensation.

After a while though, she felt full and sleepy. Honey's head was resting on the table, fork in hand, just in case more cake appeared before him. Plates were piled around, towering over both of their stooped forms. Toru felt the uncomfortable weight of everything in her pouch and leaned forward. "Ne, Honey-senpai, can I borrow Usa-chan?" The tall senior's nod was all she needed to place the stuffed bunny on the table and use it as a pillow. They both dozed as they waited for Haruhi to finish changing.

"Hey Senpai," Haruhi's voice floated out from behind the curtain. Everyone seemed to perk a little, "Can I _really_ keep this uniform?" Toru's tired eyes gazed up at Haruhi. The stylist had smoothed her hair out and the blue uniform looked impeccable on her. "Ah, Haruhi, you're bishounin now?" Toru murmured.

Tamaki was practically writhing in place as he blushed a bright tomato red, "_**How adorable!**_" Then he ruined it, "You _almost_ look like a girl, don't you!" Toru looked confused, Haruhi, unfazed. "Haru-chan! You look _so cute_!" Honey hopped up and clapped. "If that's what you really look like," one twin begin, "you should have said so earlier," the other finished.

"You might even be able to draw in some customers like that," Tamaki pointed a finger at the petite brunette. "This errand boy has graduated! Starting today you are an official member of the Host club." Toru's eyes widened as she watched mild shock register on Haruhi's face. "I will train you to be a first-rate host. If you can get a hundred customers to request you, we will forgive the eight million yen debt."

"What, a host?" Haruhi's expression was a mixture of wary confusion. "What about Toru?" The girl in question stood up suddenly, "_Oh no_," she snapped her fingers as if to kill any line of thought about more make overs. "I'm happy as Inu-chan, thank you very much." She faced Kyoya, "You still need someone to run errands and such, right?"

Kyoya's smirk was teasing, "I'm sure I could think of something profitable for your purpose to serve." He shifted his stance slightly and made a note in his black book. "I suppose that does ensure that if Haruhi fails, some of the debt will be paid off," He glanced at the president, "but of course that's really up to Tamaki." The blond captured Toru's gaze and she felt her cheek grow warm from the steadfast attention. "It seems that we have two projects to consider. Alright, while Daddy raises Haruhi into a stunning Host, Mommy can raise Toru as the perfect assistant! A "protégé" and a "protégée_." _Toru noticed his French accent was impeccable.

Toru grinned and gave a thumbs up, "Alright, sounds like one big, happy family." Tamaki had attacked her in the blink of an eye. He had her in a bear hug, swinging her about in a circle, "That's the spirit, Toru!"

Haruhi held her face in her hands, shoulders slumped, she spoke with exasperation and disbelief, "I'm going to be a _host_."

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_**A/N**: Protégée is the feminine form of "__protégé_." Please drop me a short line and tell me what you think, I'd really appreciate it. :)


	3. Episode One: Suspicious Bitches

_**A/N**_: _Thanks so much to the two people who reviewed and to everyone who followed or favorited this story. I decided to go ahead and post this early because of that encouragement. _

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**Episode One: Suspicious Bitches**

Haruhi's hour had arrived and she was booked to entertain three customers on her own. Kagura-hime, Kurekano-hime, and Amikusa-hime sat at the cozy table with bright expressions as Haruhi tried to pull herself together. Kagura, who had chin length brown hair and a more relaxed air spoke first, "Haruhi-kun, do you have any hobbies?" Kurekano's hair was much longer and a richer color of brown. She had a cuter nature and it showed in her fun, pointy eared hair style, "Do you use anything special on your skin?" Amikusa looked the the youngest and her hair was the darkest, pulled back in a simple style, "Its terribly pretty," she smiled. "Haruhi-kun, why did you join this club?" they asked together.

Toru leaned against a column, her eyes closed as she listened. Kyoya stood beside her in the open, facing the same direction. Neither of them needed to watch the scene to observe it. Tamaki was kneeling backwards on the couch, looking over the back, by the prissy girl, his eyes locked on Haruhi. The twins knelt behind the couch, faces making sad little expressions as Haruhi began her story. It was the story of losing her mother and how she wanted to one day be a lawyer just like her. Of how she took care of the chores and made food for her father. The girls sighed in worry, blushed in admiration, and were completely entrapped in the rookie host's touching tale.

Tamaki began, "He's popular." The twins continued, "Right from the start, no help needed." Toru yawned slightly and rolled her eyes, playing their dumb game, "As long as _he_ isn't stressed, Haruhi actually has a pretty magnetic personality." She crossed her arms over her chest, "There's a charming...direct way about Haruhi that just grounds you when you're feeling lost," her voice was soft and filled with admiration. Her eyes flickered to the side when Kyoya made a note in his book. Something about the movement made her finger tips trail up the edge of her hood, absently making sure her expression was covered.

"Tamaki-sama..." Prissy girl interrupted the momentary silence, reminding the pouting blonde of her presence. "_Huh_?" Tamaki looked over and you could practically see the question mark floating over his head. He realized he'd forgotten about his guest and turned up the sparkle, "I'm sorry, Hime-sama, I'm just concerned about my boy."

Toru walked across the edge of their section to the next column over and leaned against it. From there she could easily see their expressions while keeping her own attention hidden. She was visible to most of the room, so anyone else that needed her would be able to find her and yet if she wanted to avoid notice she could slip away. "You seem to be keeping an eye on that one quite a bit," the girl's expression had a hint of playful teasing, as if she were ribbing Tamaki for doing something mildly foolish. "That's because I'm raising him as if he were my own," Tamaki snapped his fingers, "_Haruhi_! Come here for a minute."

When the rookie was standing beside them, Tamaki began his introduction, "Say hello. This is my regular guest Ayanokoji," the blond was too busy watching Haruhi to see that his companion didn't even bother to look over. Ayanokoji's face was forward, her eyes were closed. The slight pause in Haruhi's countenance confirmed that she'd recognized this customer as the rude girl from earlier. She smiled and greeted the prissy girl with warmth, "Its a pleasure to meet you." It was a smooth recovery, one that made Tamaki lose his marbles.

The Host prince practically teleported to Haruhi. He had her in a headlock, her face pressed firmly against his chest. Tamaki was flushed with pride and admiration, "That was so cute, Haruhi!" He squealed, reminiscent of Honey. Ayanokoji was shocked, her hands limp in her lap, eyes wide, lips pursed. It was as if she'd just watched her idol pick his nose in the middle of afternoon tea. Tamaki began to spin Haruhi around in a circle, his close embrace suffocating and dizzying, "That air of bashfulness was good, good, _very good_!"

Toru watched as Ayanokoji seemed to snap out of her catatonic state, "T-tamaki-sama..." she put her hand up in a stop motion, as if it could somehow end the spectacle before her. Tamaki ignored her, and addressed Haruhi's protests, "I'm not letting you go!" he squealed giddily. He wasn't being perverted, Toru saw him as more of an over enthusiastic _puppy_; something Haruhi didn't need her help for. Haruhi changed tactics, "Mori-senpai! Help!"

Grinning, Toru looked over to see what the senior would do. His face changed from its passive expression briefly. She was suddenly looking into the eyes of a mighty warrior, scandalized by the cries of a damsel in distress. There was a ferociousness she hadn't expected, with all the intensity of a dragon's fiery gaze, but then it was gone and so was he. In a movement nearly too quick to follow he was standing before them, Tamaki at his feet, and lifting Haruhi safely into the air. There was a spark of knowing in his eyes and a very faint blush warmed his cheeks. If there were any questions in his mind about Haruhi's gender, the truth had just been revealed to him.

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Haruhi *********o

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Mori held Haruhi at arm's length above his head, her feet were dangling at least four feet off the floor. Tamaki stood up and dusted himself off, looking quite shell-shocked, "Mori-senpai, you didn't have to go that far." Mori just seemed to stare for a moment as the knowledge sunk in.

The resilient Prince type recovered quickly, "Come on, come back next to Daddy's heart!" Toru would have burst into laughter then, but movement caught her attention. Ayanokoji slowly turned her head towards Tamaki and the others, the expression on her face meant trouble. Her displeasure was evident in the downward slash of her mouth, her eyes had taken on a deadened quality that made her seem capable of anything. She had an intense predatory focus and it was all narrowed in on _Haruhi's back_.

A challenging rumble stirred in Toru's chest. Her hackles were up, lips drawn back to reveal white canines. She knew that she'd just gained a new enemy. Anyone that would stand against Haruhi had to get through her first. She turned her face away, missing the cold gray gaze that locked on her next.

* * *

Toru wasn't always a sweet girl. She had been wild and fierce once. That had been another life. Here and now, she was _just_ a normal girl. She spent her time trying to play with Haruhi, pestering Rankapoppa, and procrastinating from her studies in new and exciting ways. Thoughts of her past lurked in the deep of her mind and rarely surfaced, but it seemed that some training was deeply ingrained. When her face impacted with the unforgiving marble of the wall, muscle memory and instinct kicked in.

Her vision focused, she was standing in a defensive position, her face protected by up-drawn fists waiting to strike. She could hear the sound of running from the hall above her and knew that her attacker was getting away. The instinct to give chase was just not there. Toru listened to the ensuing silence and slumped down the wall, right in the middle of the landing.

Her adrenalin burned empty and pain over took her senses. There were a number of bruises where she'd tumbled against the stairs. The most pressing concern was the eye she couldn't quite focus, followed by the bloody taste in her mouth. For a moment, she thought she would vomit.

It had been a long time since violence had met her so closely, its penetration in her life left her feeling raw and ashamed. Her hands were shaking as her fingers prodded along various aches and pains in attempt to gauge the damage.

"Well, well, what's _this_," Toru froze. She didn't have to look up to recognize the voice, or the identical one that followed, "Are you okay?" Two hands appeared in her vision and she took their offered help. They pulled her up and dizzyness overwhelmed her strength. She slumped forward, onto them. They were much shorter, but together, the twins managed to catch her and hold her steady.

* * *

Toru o*********

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"Toru, what happened!" Hikaru's reaction was a touch less composed than Kaoru's. Having a _girl_ in such a state, pressed up against him was not ideal. The twins each had one arm around her and the other around each other in a three person hug. "I think we need to get her to the nurse," Kaoru suggested.

"How are we supposed to get here there?" Hikaru thought of the long path, they were standing on the landing near the top floor. There was no way they could carry her, she was much to large. "Should we take her to the club room and text someone?" Kaoru offered. "Yes, take me there please, but don't bother anyone else. I'll be fine, I just need to catch my breath," Toru panted. There was a strangled noise and one of them growled, "Says the girl _bleeding on my jacket_."

Anger helped clear her mind. She drew up, looking into two pairs of concerned eyes. "I'm fine," she ground out and started to pull away before one of them grabbed her shoulder, "Calm down. We'll go to the club room." They let her free, but did not move away. She watched as their faces went blank and knew they were calculating something.

Toru turned and walked up the stairs. The process was slow, she leaned heavily on the rail and had to stop occasionally as her focus swam. It occurred to her that the twins were standing just behind her, probably in case she started to tip over. She managed to make it up the last turn and down the hallway without incident, though, and was ordered to sit on one of the plush couches. No one would be back here during lunch time, so it was unlikely to cause a scene.

The twins disappeared into the kitchen area. Alone, Toru emptied the pocket on her hoodie before peeling it off. She stood there, vulnerable, in a form fitting tank-top and bland grey jeans as she folded the oversized article of clothing. She could feel a painful bruise under her bust from the edges of the books she'd been carrying in her front pouch, fortunately, they protected her stomach from becoming one big bruise. A fist sized area on the top of her left shoulder was black and she couldn't touch it without the wounded flesh protesting sharply. Her mouth hurt, a quick check with her tongue revealed her teeth were fine, but her lip was a painful, bloody mess that she avoided from then on. Her sight was fine now; though, she was careful not to turn suddenly or the room would begin to spin again. She sat very slowly and gently pulled her hairband loose, a fully realized ache pounding in the back of her eye sockets.

"So what happened?" Kaoru, she guessed, based on the part of his hair. They had entered the room quietly and unnoticed. She felt exposed, unable to run away, blend into the crowd, or hide within the depths of her hoodie. She wondered when this had become the norm, when she'd become a coward who hid. Anger filled her veins, her lips began to draw back in a sneer, but sharp pain and blood trickling down her chin made her take a deep breath and start again. "I lost a fight." A bold, naked statement.

"_What_?" the twins exclaimed in unison. At first they looked shocked, scandalized almost, and then they were _very_ close to her suddenly, making her head spin. She involuntarily covered her mouth in case she got sick. There was one on each side of her, fussing over her. It reminded her of a time they'd done something similar to Haruhi for being cute, though this was driven by concern as they assured themselves of her health and she was truly touched. "We'll kill them!" they began. "You really should go to the nurse," one started, "I'll go get one," the other finished, "Your mouth is still bleeding," the first spoke again, "Her eyes unfocused again!" the other persisted. The movement, the sound, the pressure, it was too much. She felt like she was going to start dry retching then and there. _I will not!_ It was an angry growl of a declaration from her sense of pride.

"I would very much like to know the circumstances that brought you to your current state," Kyoya's cool voice sent a _chill_ down her spine. _Those mischievous brats._ Toru sighed and shut her eyes, covering her face with her hands. She didn't have the strength to put up a mental defense for a verbal dance with Kyoya. When she didn't answer, she heard foot steps draw near and the twins backed away. He tugged at her hands and she didn't resist, nor did she shirk away as he tilted her chin up. Hazel eyes were frozen in place by frosty gray ones, "I'm waiting," he released her from his gaze, but did not remove himself from her space. It was then she noticed a first aid kit in his other hand.

She glanced at the twins in askance, but Kyoya was having none of it, "Its a reasonable question, you know." He sat on a chair across from her, kit open on the table. He pulled gloves onto his hands with a snap. "Fighting on school campus is strictly prohibited." His touch was clinical as he checked over the obvious bruises and scrapes, but this close to him, Toru instinctively felt the anger he didn't allow to affect his countenance.

"Kyoya-kun..." his fingers paused the exploration of her sharply sensitive left shoulder, "are you...angry with me?" The boy leaned back slightly, his hand retreating to his face were he adjusted his glasses, light glared back from his lenses. "Not particularly," he was in control again and the moment passed before he was examining her shoulder once more. Toru glanced at the Twins, who were watching them from the couch on the other side of the table. "However, if you get expelled if will be much harder to pay back your debt." The dark haired girl sweat-dropped. She knew he was serious, but it seemed like he was teasing her, like a jab in the face to distract her from that line of thought. "I'm still waiting," his voice held a more authoritative note this time, "I won't even add the medical care to your debt if you hurry."

A statement like that would have made Haruhi faint, but it made Toru grin. It was a bruised, wet grin and she felt her lower lip protest with dripping blood. Kyoya cleaned it with a cold, _stingy_ cotton ball. The twins had helped her, Kyoya was cleaning her wounds. No one was yelling or looking at her like a monster. Kyoya was even using his own brand of _humor_ to coax her into cooperation. It cheered her spirit. "I left my phone in here yesterday, so I came by to pick it up," she began.

"I was heading back down to meet Haruhi. I like to pop in and visit her for lunch sometim-**_ah_**!" it ended in a yelp when Kyoya suddenly rotated her left arm, one hand over her shoulder as he tested the movement. The way his eyes flickered to hers was like a command to continue. She gulped and looked away, letting him finish, "A-anyways, someone jumped me." He let go of her shoulders and turned her face to examine her mouth. His gloved finger was gentle as he flipped her lip down and examined the inside. The fingertip was slick with red when he removed it, "I take it, then, that you do not know who attacked you?"

Toru shook her head and then winced at her mistake when the room seemed to start floating. "No, it was a sneak attack from behind. I'm sure it was a male, though," he noticed that her smirk was _vicious_ as she remembered a particularly good elbow to the groin, "and his face was covered by a mask of some sort. I didn't really recognize it though." Her hands were bandaged last, knuckles torn from violent use. Finished, he stood, freeing her. She leaned back into the cushion of the chair, relishing her newly acquired space. "I gave better than I got," she rested her head on her hand, a dull ache told her she'd probably have a very noticeable bruise across her cheek bone. "I'm sure he'll be quite colorful tomorrow. What screwed me was getting my ass judo tossed down the stairs."

Kyoya's hand was at his face again, adjusting his glasses, "Excuse me?" Toru just nodded, "I'm the only fighter in the history of my family whose kryptonite is judo throws. Its _embarrassing_." The twins looked a little stunned at the information, "So, you're saying you were doing okay," one started, "but because you happened to be too close to the stairs, you lost," the other finished. Toru nodded again, "I was supposed to start training last year, but after my injury and, well, other circumstances, I haven't had the chance yet." There was more silence.

After a few awkward moments, Kyoya adjusted his glasses again, "I see." The first aid kit was put away, the mess already cleaned up. There was a lot to absorb from everything she'd revealed and he seemed intent on examining it _thoroughly_ when the time came. This girl raised a lot of questions and he felt very overdue for some answers. "Kaoru, Hikaru, go see if the Black Magic club has a cloak to spare. Toru-chan, you're lip is going to need stitches. I'm going to have a car take you to my family's urgent care center. You will go, get whatever treatment the doctor says you need and then you will return here, understand?" The twins were gone before he'd finished talking to the girl in front of him. Toru gazed back up at him impassively, "That sounds expensive." Kyoya smirked, "As long as you follow my instructions you won't be charged..._yet_." Toru's laugh came out as a grunted "Heh."

As they waited to for the twin's to return, Toru glanced up at Kyoya, "Hey...why are you being so nice?" It was impossible to look into his eyes when his glasses lenses were glaring like that, "I don't know what you mean, Toru-chan." He had that black note book out, the scritch-scritching of his pen a soft whisper, "If the Host club's Inu-chan is out of commission I'll need to keep more of Haruhi's schedule free to pick up your slack." Toru wanted to grin, but she also didn't want more blood dribbling down her chin, so instead she just rolled her eyes, "Now I know you're just screwing with me." He tapped his pen against his note book twice before he continued writing, smirk firmly in place.

When the twins returned, cloak in hand, Kyoya closed his note book and placed it under his arm, "You can wear the cloak, that way we're not stopped in the halls. I'll notify your teachers that you'll be missing the rest of the day. We will walk you down to the car, its on the way to the cafeteria anyway." Toru put on the cloak, "Thanks, by the way. To all of you," her voice was sincere. For so long now, Haruhi had been her only ally and while these boys may not be her friends yet, it was good to know they cared.

As Kyoya watched the limo pull away he skimmed his notes and began organizing a list. First, he needed to decide how to handle the situation with Toru, not _exactly_ for her sake, but for their reputation. After all, someone had attacked a Host Club subordinate and that couldn't be tolerated. Second, he needed to make a trip the the record archives and find out just what exactly had been _withheld_ from her file the first time he'd run her background check. Having examined her so closely, the Ootori was positive that _Fujioka_ Toru was not a full blooded national. Her eyes were foreign and nothing like Haruhi's. The most curious bit of information he'd received was that while Haruhi had a full scholarship, Toru's tuition was paid in full. It was a situation that very much peaked the Shadow King's interest.

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_**A/N**__: I've been giving the unnamed Princesses names. If you have suggestions for a few in the future, feel free to let me know. :) I tried to be careful writing this chapter. It had the potential for some Mary-sue, out of character bullshit. I hope I managed to pull it off well enough without being unrealistic. Let me know what you think. _

_For the most part I'm going to update once a week, however, if I get ten reviews, I'll update a bonus chapter ahead of time. (__And not a hastily written bit of filler, but an actual chapter__.) **I figure that you all deserve something for taking a bit of your time to let me know what you think, so thanks in advance! 3**_


	4. Episode One: Spy Games

**_A/N_:** _In case you're interested, I added in another paragraph to Chapter 3 a few days ago. It leads in quite nicely to this chapter and adds an important detail or two that I previously left out. _

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**Episode One: Spy Games**

Kyoya Ootori was an incredibly ambitious individual. He required perfection in the execution of his plans and employed only people that met his meticulous expectations. He expected quick and efficient results and did what was necessary to accomplish his goals. He prided himself on being several steps ahead of everyone because he had so much at stake.

He was the _third_ son in one of most prestigious families in the _world_. His pedigree was impeccable, but because he was the youngest son he worked the hardest to outshine his brother's stunning achievements. Failure was not an option and he had to be ambitious and push boundaries to lead the pack. He was waiting for just the right moment to make his move and outshine his brother's completely.

As a skilled tactician, Kyoya did understood the importance of patience. Information was just as valuable as currency in his world and the Shadow King was efficient at using everything to his advantage. He was confident that _everything_ of important notice was tucked away in his files for future use, or on its way there. Recently though, he was noticing a hole in his net. And her name was Toru. Sometimes information played hard to get and Kyoya allowed it for just as long as it amused him, but when collection time came, he got results. This time however, there was nothing. He'd patiently waited for _nothing_. Which in the end, was an interesting bit of something.

A good look at her file showed that there were just some questions that weren't answered. As a student he didn't have access to the physical paperwork, but it was clear from the digital file in Ouran's database (that he didn't_ officially _have had access to) must have had redacted information. There was no family history, not even Haruhi, she didn't even have any previous schooling listed. It was glaringly incomplete and it irritated him. It was beneath him to straight out ask her. He knew she was more observant than the others would guess, he knew she was precise and calculating. He didn't want her to know just how much he was digging around in her secrets. And without a doubt he knew she had some _interesting_ connections for Suoh-sama to sign off on such an embarrassingly blank enrollment form. After having her public record investigated he'd learned that she didn't seem to exist before the summer of last year when the Fujioka family had moved to a larger apartment in the same complex they'd been at for years, despite no apparent increase in Ranka-san's income. There was no record of _Fujioka Toru_'s birth.

He started gathering information from within the school itself. Not many people had taken notice of her. She'd been in his class the whole year and while he was aware of her presence, and basic pertinent information, she'd intentionally kept herself away from his notice without ever triggering his internist by outwardly trying to hide. The girl was _skilled_ at going unnoticed, she was observant, and she had a quick, cunning mind. All of which she hid away in a completely blank persona. A persona that had some flaws upon closer inspection.

Tachibana had commented that she moved in and out of crowds like one of his rookies, it was _high_ praise from the seasoned security professional. Kyoya found out that while Toru was quite bored with school work in general, her grades in Japanese, Math and Science were the worst. She put some effort into her creative writing and art class. She excelled in gym, which was optional, without ever joining any of the teams that sometimes tried to scout her. She'd only ever been seen chatting with the honor student, Fujioka Haruhi. The latest information gathered just seemed to underline the fact that she was no common girl. Fighting skills were _rare_ among girls in their social class, and today she'd proven to be highly resilient when damaged. It put her beyond any of the small time or just for flash fighting camps of his wealthy peers. She was skilled, and yet seemingly not skilled enough to have gained previous notice from the Haninozuka or Morinozuka clans. He'd actually asked when they came to him with their interest in her after a very peculiar bit of her school history came to their attention. A very mysterious injury that took six months to recuperate from.

So when the twins had _borrowed_ her phone for one mischievous reason or another, he'd taken full advantage of the opportunity to see what kind of information the little device held. He was now privy to her contact list, along with everything else stored in its memory. He now had some leads to follow. For one, all the notes in her phone were written in _Portuguese_.

He'd gathered enough information about Toru to formulate a plan on how to utilize her as a competent assistant, but he'd also gotten a few nice clues to investigate that would hopefully clear up his questions about her history. His little "protegee" was proving to be quite interesting and he had some profitable ideas planned for her. And he would start laying the ground work as soon as Toru walked through the door.

* * *

_Pain killers must do strange things to one's perception of reality._ Toru blinked as she looked around the 3rd music room. Tamaki was sitting at his throne, nose buried in a magazine with a colorful photograph of Bali on the cover. He was devouring a cup of instant noodles. Honey was happily eating cake. Mori, quietly sipped tea and reading from his history text book. The twins were leaning on each other, one playing a PSP, the other watching. Kyoya had been writing in his notebook, but it snapped shut when she came through the door. She felt a little strange that the site before her already seemed so familiar, so welcoming, because she'd known them for less than a week_. _

The cloak was still wrapped around her, hood drawn. "Did you get my backpack?" she asked as Kyoya intercepted her. She'd sent a short text asking him to have someone grab it from her locker. After hours at the clinic Toru wanted nothing more than to change out of her bloodied clothes and have a cup of tea. "It's in the prep room. When you are done we are going to have a chat," his smirk was a clear signal that said chat wasn't in any way optional.

The exchange had taken place rather quietly as he lead her to the prep room. He stood at the door and looked at her for a moment; she noticed his focus was her left side before he tilted his face fractionally and the glare caught his glasses. She just smirked and took off the borrowed cloak, revealing the sling her arm was hanging in and answering his unspoken question. His eyebrow quirked and he stepped backwards after she handed him the disguise, shutting the doors and leaving her to change. Toru grabbed her bag with her right arm and stepped into the ring of curtains they used for privacy when Honey took a nap. There was a little table inside, Usa-chan was propped in the center.

Toru believed in preparedness. She never used her back pack at school because it was stuffed with other things she thought might be useful, a change of clothes in this case. She'd shoved her backpack in her locker after the first week of school and hadn't checked on it since, but it was there waiting for her, like Bat Man's utility belt. She dug around for a moment before opening it wide and looking in. Her eyes narrowed. That was not the outfit she had packed. _Rankapoppa strikes again. And from the past too._

She sighed, it didn't matter. The only reason she dressed the way she usually did was because it seemed like attention would be bothersome to her situation. School was out, the host's didn't seem to be entertaining today, it was unlikely to matter. Kyoya was already too involved and the other boys weren't likely to do anything vicious. She still had to tread carefully; with Kyoya one never really could tell what he knew and what he wanted you to think he knew. Mental maneuvering and secrets aside, the crusty patch of dried blood on her top made the decision for her.

Toru slipped first out of her sling and then her clothes. The hideous _fake _glasses were carelessly tossed in her bag as she pulled out her pants first. The black slacks were nice, she'd bought them with Rankapoppa. They sat low on her hips and accentuated her curves and the long line of her legs. She pulled the satin push-up bra out of her bag. Had it been anyone else, but Rankapoppa, that alone would have been creepy, but in the time she'd lived with him, she'd grown very fond of him. The man had a fantastic eye for women's fashion and Toru had very similar tastes when it came to the clothes she wore outside of school. They differed only on the subject of lace. Rankapoppa was highly pro-lace. Toru was absolutely _not_.

After swiping herself clean with a few wet wipes, courtesy of her bag, Toru picked the _pink_ _monstrosity_ up and spread it on the table before her. She'd put on a black cami, it had spaghetti straps and molded closely to her form, showing off her flat, hard stomach. She didn't normally wear just a cami in public, there was just too much skin showing, especially cleavage, for comfort, but the lacy pink material of the over-shirt made her reconsider.

"Have you seen Usa-chan?" Mori's deep voice asked just a moment before the curtain was tugged aside. Toru looked up at him, one hand on her hip, the left hanging at her side, it was the longest sentence he'd spoken in front of her. She watched the tall senior's form go rigid. "Yeah, it's right here. Hold on." She turned and bent over the table slightly, reaching for the bunny. She was already dressed, so the intrusion didn't bother her and Toru wasn't the type to get upset over "almosts" like this.

* * *

Toru **********

* * *

She turned back to an odd site. Mori was blushing. _Well, I suppose that answers that._ Clearly, the cami showed too much skin if even the stoic Mori was too embarrassed to look at her. Then she froze, _Wait a second._ Hazle eyes widened and her own cheeks flamed. In a moment of daring she later blamed on 900 mgs of vicodin, she spoke, "You didn't _know_ did you?" That explained why the gentlemanly Mori had just walked in as well, he'd thought she was a boy. Mori's cheeks burned just a shade brighter and Toru buried her face in the soft comfort of Usa-chan.

She heard him move suddenly and expected him to have retreated from the uncomfortable situation. It was a surprise when she felt his warmth in front of her. She peaked up between Usa's ears, still mostly hidden. Mori reached out and grabbed her forearm gently, tugging it up for inspection. His eyes flickered to her cheek and then over her shoulder resting lastly on her mouth. His silent attention somehow seemed even more intense than Kyoya's. Finally he tore his eyes away and was looking at her knuckles. They had been cleaned and had already scabbed over nicely. Toru had removed the bandages so the skin could breath. "You've been in a fight," it was not a question. And was that..._disapproval_ in his tone?

Something about the situation made her giddy. _Not_ it a happy, warm way, but in a nervous kind of way. It was like if your father caught you sneaking in late with liquor on your breath and your shirt was clearly all mussed up and you had the sudden, overwhelming urge to giggle at the amount of trouble you were in. Toru tried to make light of it, "That obvious huh?" _Oh,_ _I'm brilliant_, she thought sarcastically. Mori's mouth quirked down just a fraction, his eyes narrowed.

Toru gulped. How was it possible for someone to say _so much_ and so little at the same time? "Listen, Mori-kun, please don't be angry with me." His eye brows shot upwards. Toru couldn't help, but notice the difference between Ayanokoji's or Kyoya's cool, detached gray and the simple quiet strength of Mori's. He looked down at her hand again and moved to take Usa-chan. His finger's brushed _very gently_ over her torn knuckles before her let her go completely. _Ah, concerned then._ She gave him a small grin, mindful of the four stitches on the inside of her lip. They locked eyes and understanding passed between them. With that, he turned and left. Toru let out a soft breath when she heard the door click shut. It seemed she had another ally, the excitement made her just as heady as the drugs in her system.

In a much more optimistic mood, she grabbed the pink monstrosity and slid into it. The silken fabric was flowy and light, it stirred with every movement or breeze. It was a stylized Renaissance design that fit tightly around her midsection. Its purpose was to show off the length of her trim midsection and the noticeable size difference between her ribcage and bust. It was of modest cut at the chest and the sleeves were fully lace, an angel wing shape that fell to her elbows. With practiced ease, she pulled most of her hair back into high pig-tails and looped them into a messy, spiky buns. She liked how it gave her puppy ears. Her bangs fell freely past her chest. Lastly, she put her left arm back in the sling. Her medication and cell phone resting in the crook of her arm.

As she walked towards the door, she caught sight of herself in the mirror and laughed. She looked good, but she'd always been confident about her body. She looked..._funny_. The left half of her wasn't as pleasant, between the sling, the fist sized bruise on her cheek, and the gash on her lip. If she turned the other way though, she looked adorable._ Two Face_. Toru grinned as she pulled the door open. _Two Bat Man references in one day_, she was on a roll. _Of course, the pain killers will get all the credit._

Toru had just walked through the door when she was shocked out of her silly thoughts by the suddenly very close presence of Tamaki. "I'm sorry Hime-sama, but we're closed today. **Oh!"** His eyes filled with sympathy tears as he caught sight of the Princess's battered appearance. "You poor, _wounded_, Princess! You wanted nothing more than to see us and-"

"Tamaki-kun," Toru interrupted. "_No, I understand_!" His arm was around her right side and he was gentle with her left. "The pain was too much, you just-" Toru interrupted him again, "Tamaki-kun its just me." Tamaki put on the sparkle, "Don't talk like that, Hime-sama. You're a precious jewel. I will heal you with my love! Can you feel the burning intensi-"

"Toru-chan!" Honey's cheerful peep cut through Tamaki's glittery prose, "You look so cute!" Tamaki let go of Toru and looked her over, "I must have heard that wrong," he muttered. His eyes traveled over the exotic Princess before him. She was _tall_, feminine, and beautiful with her golden skin, strange hazel eyes, and a proper womanly fashion sense. She looked like a girl who, injuries aside, would perfectly fit in with the Princesses that filled the halls of Ouran, if not in Class A, then certainly in Class B. His Inu-chan was...a _sturdy_ girl. With a terrible eye for design. Who blended into the walls and sometimes had a foul mouth and a rough demeanor.

Honey spoke again, "Takeshi, doesn't Toru-chan look cute!" Toru glanced over and happened to meet the tall senior's gaze. A faint blush covered his cheeks, "Ah." Toru looked over to Honey and then the twins, it seemed to be unanimous, blushes of approval from the lot of them. Tamaki still looked confused, as if he were trying to merge his previous image of her with the reality before him. She didn't blame him; her other clothes and the items she carried in them made her look about fifty pounds heavier. With nothing covering her features it was like seeing her for the first time. At least _he_ had known all along that she was a girl. Seeing the difficulty he was having with this situation she figured she could attribute that more to the fact that they'd had class together all year than to his observational prowess.

Honey came bounding over, clearly intent on a glomp, but he put on the brakes when he noticed her arm in a sling. His eyes flickered over her injuries in much the same way Mori's had. She'd never seen the little blond look so serious. "Toru-chan, what happened?" His eyes were deep, complex mixture of emotions that surprised her. She instinctively reached out and rested her hand on his shoulder, reassuring him that she was alright. "That's actually what I wanted to talk about," Kyoya spoke. "Have a seat, Toru," he gestured to a set of chairs at the end of a coffee table. There were love seats pulled around the other three sides.

She sat in the left chair, "Um, where's Haruhi?" The twins answered, "He said he'd meet us here in a bit. He was looking for something." Honey sat on the couch that was closest to Toru's seat, "Want some cake?" She smiled and nodded in response. Mori prepared her a slice and sat it in front of her with a cup of tea. "Arigato," she blew on her tea gently to help cool it. The tall senior sat on the couch closest to her, right beside Honey. The twins were seated across from them, beside the empty chair that waited for Haruhi. Tamaki and Kyoya were across the table from Toru. The lone girl grinned and shook her head before pulling her iPhone out of her sling and placing it on the table; it was followed by the three bottles the doctor had given her.

"Wow, did the doc go overboard with the meds or what?" One twin asked. The other leaned over and began playing with her cell phone, Kaoru if the part of his hair could be trusted. "Maybe a little," she flicked her fingers at the two big bottles, "He said those would help the bruising on my shoulder, but its mostly for my ribs." Hikaru looked over, "Ribs?" Toru placed her hand just under her bust line and winced a bit, "_Thoroughly bruised_ one on each side," she opened her eyes and deadpanned, "The really dumb thing is that it was my stupid anatomy text book that did it." She'd always found it funny that she kept that particular book closest to her body.

"What about the little one?" Kaoru gestured. "Antibiotics so the stitches don't get infected." Honey meeped into his forkful of cake, "You had to get stitches?" Toru felt a grin tugging at the corners of her mouth and _barely_ restrained it, "Yeah, _in_ my mouth." That made everyone wince. They all had a serious expression. Toru would have had one too, given the events of the day, had she not felt such an incredibly lack of energy at the moment. She emptied her tea cup and sighed happily before placing it on the table. Mori refilled it as Kyoya spoke.

"There was an incident at lunch." All attention was on him, except Toru who was demolishing her slice of cake with gusto. A fight, a fall, awkward revelations, all on an empty stomach, she was starving. As Kyoya filled them in Toru focused on the delicious flavor of vanilla and avoided the worried glances the boys shot her when Kyoya occasionally said something they didn't like. She had just started reaching over to slice herself another piece when Mori laid a hand on her arm. She paused and looked over at him. He gestured for her plate, so she handed it to him. He served her a fresh slice and she mouthed her thanks so as not to interrupt Kyoya's recitation of events.

"Someone attacked you?" There was a definite atmosphere of displeasure in the room now. It rolled off of everyone and seemed to smother her. She blew on her tea and looked up at Tamaki, who'd spoken. "Yes," simple seemed best. She didn't know what to expect from her volatile classmates. Honey spoke next, "And you don't know who?" Kyoya added in, "Any recently gained enemies?"

As the prissy Ayanokoji flashed through her mind, Toru stilled for fraction of a second before taking a big sip of tea that was still too hot. She winced as it hit her stitches, a keening whine sounded from her throat, but she managed not to choke on it. "Oh, that was _so_ stupid," she covered her lips with her hands and shut her eyes, taking deep, calming breaths through her nose. A softness found its way into her arms and she pressed her face into it, recognizing Usa-chan's shape and the sweet scent of baked goods that perfumed her "fur." When she thought she could look at them without watery eyes she did. "Gomen," she began. "Honestly, I don't know who it was, but I'm sure I'll find out in the next couple of days." She hugged the stuffed rabbit tight with her good arm, "He'll have to come back to school at some point and when he does, he'll probably look like me only worse." Her own eyes narrowed, "Its one thing to meet an opponent in the Octagon honorably, but jump me in a dark hallway and I'm going to assume I'm fighting for my _life_."

"That's pretty dark," Kaoru murmured. "Its a good rule to follow as a woman," Toru answered. "I agree. Its bad to hit girls!" Honey's words were cute, he'd even punctuated it was a finger in the air, but his eyes still had that barely perceptible serious edge to them. "You said Octagon, you practice Mixed Martial Arts?" His face portrayed a bit of awe, with a wide encouraging smile, but his chocolate eyes held a spark of more calculating interest that was difficult to discern.

"Not since my injury last year, but yes. I don't think my attacker was expecting it, his skill was more of a bully brawler type, but..." she trailed off in thought for a moment as she replayed the fight in her mind, "he had a basic understanding of judo principles," she spoke with her eyes closed. "I'm absolutely _horrid_ with judo, but its because of that I recognized the throw so well. He was trying, but unsure of himself." She opened her eyes again. "I planned to check out the martial arts clubs over the next week and see if I can't recognize him, by injury or style." Her eyes flickered to Kyoya's as he wrote in his note book. "And to answer you're question, I'm not sure, but I plan to watch very carefully. I don't want to point fingers with so little to go on. I'm more of a watch patiently in the shadows type," she knew he would understand her sentiment on that of all things. His answering smirk, a _tiny_ quirk of his lips, did not go noticed.

Toru tried her tea again, this time with no pain. She finished her second cup and started on the cake. "That brings me to the _actual_ reason for the meeting," Kyoya stated. Toru didn't bother looking up, but acknowledged she was listening with a nod. Mori refilled her tea cup again. This time he'd poured cream into it, to cool it. She smiled and knew that was thanks enough when he nodded.

"We utilize our individual talents to meet the needs of the customers," the Cool type began, "I've been doing some research and came up with a few conclusions about what your position in the club could be." He opened his note book and pulled out a manilla file. Toru was _more_ than curious about the contents of that slim folder. "Firstly," he spread a handful of glossy photos on the table before them, "you are a skilled amateur photographer." Some were of them, doing Host activities. There was one of Honey, mid-flight, as he pounced at someone off frame. A picture of Tamaki, flinging Haruhi around in a circle. An eerie one of the twins alone in front of the mirror. Other's were of Haruhi and herself at home doing random things. Toru's eyes narrowed. Suddenly forgetting her phone at school seemed less likely than it having been pick-pocketed for his research. It was a notion she definitely filed away for later.

"Wow, Toru-chan! You took these?" Honey was leaning forward, his interest clearly caught by one of him sitting before a towering cake, a fork and knife in hand. "Yeah, I like to keep a scrap book of important things," she chirped back at him. Something about the chibi-blonde brightened her mood. Tamaki perked up, beaming at her, "Awww, are we you're important things?" Toru laughed as she finished her cake. "Of course, I'm Host club's Inu-chan. My owners would have to be important to me or I'd be a pretty bad dog," she beamed, cocking her head sideways. With her hair put up the way it was, it really did look like she had puppy ears and suddenly Tamaki was behind her chair, hugging her neck and resting his head on hers, "Oh you're so cute!" Toru tolerated a _small_ portion of the abuse Haruhi suffered on a daily basis and couldn't help, but feel a little light-hearted.

Kyoya reigned him back in, "As I was saying..." Tamaki patted Toru on the head gently and went back to his seat, "considering no one noticed you taking pictures and these are of acceptable quality I'd like you to begin taking photos as our unofficial photographer. We'll need to edit out any shots of the customers and there will need to be some tweaking in Photoshop," he looked at the twins. Hikaru was holding up one of him and Kaoru playing the _Which one is Hikaru_ game, "Yeah, the lighting function on the iPhone sucks, so does the motion sense." Kaoru nodded, "You don't make many mistakes that we can't fix pretty easily," Hikaru finished his brother's thought, "But it would probably help a lot if we get you a better camera. Yours is too cheap." Kyoya was scanning his note book, "That can be arranged. It would be worth it to have better quality photos to put in the periodicals." His eyes slid to Tamaki. The Host King nodded and Kyoya made a note. Toru grinned. "That's cool, and now that you _know_ I'm taking pictures, I could probably get some really good posed shots of the costumes," she mused.

Kyoya gathered up the photos, "I'd like those please, at least the ones with Haruhi. If she finds out I let you keep them, she won't let me take anymore." He smirked and handed them over. They both knew he had digital copies. She looked through them as he pulled out a new sheet of paper, "Moving on, your mastery of your own presence makes it easy for you to move around unnoticed. I'd like you to begin making weekly reports of Host related gossip from the customers." Toru sweatdropped, the confusion in her voice was quite evident, "Excuse me?" Kyoya's cold smile had more than a little shark in it, "Its a good market research technique. The complaints help us better serve them and their wishes help us predict popular trends." She chuckled, "Okay, that's easy enough," her laugh still seemed a little incredulous. He handed her the sheet and she set it on top of the photos. "That is a list of the type of things I'm interested in hearing about. Please follow the directions for e-mailing it."

She nodded and reached across to grab a third slice of cake. Mori placed his hand on her arm, his eye brow quirked. She grinned sheepishly and just handed him her plate. He nodded as he handed it back to her and she was struck with deja vu.

"There is one last thing," Toru looked up as Kyoya spoke, "Tamaki..." he signaled the Prince type who bloomed under the attention and took the lead. "I have decided on an official course of action regarding today's incident." His amethyst eyes and a serious edge, "From tomorrow on, you will be an official member of the Host club." Toru's form went stiff, her fork was paused in front of her face, mouth slightly parted, "Say _what_?" Honey piped in, "Toru-chan, if you're officially one of us, instead of just Host club's Inu-chan, it will make you safer." Mori nodded, "_Ah_."

Tamaki spoke again, "We'll be a family, protection in numbers and in name." Toru understood, they were showing her favor after the incident. With their names now attached to her own, a culprit would think twice before taking her on a second time. "But don't you need to be...well, _a Host_ to be an official member?" Kyoya held up the school hand book, "Technically, you _do_ need to participate in hosting activities, though not to the degree that we do. It would be impossible for you to masquerade as Haruhi does so I've come up with another plan." He adjusted his glasses. Toru let out a breath in relief, she had no interest in Hosting, _but then he continued_, "After speaking with Haruhi, I've determined you will be the "Sister" type."

* * *

_**A/N**_: This is actually the **middle** of the conversation, but its already around 4,890 words long and if I didn't cut it off here the chapter was going to get close to 10k. We see what Toru looks like for the first time. Hope it didn't come off ridiculous, lol. I tried to make everyone as in character as possible and when in doubt I referred back to how they might react to Haruhi at this stage in their relationship...so I _think_ its accurate. This all takes place during the meeting that Haruhi missed when she was searching for her things in the fountain, which is why Haruhi is absent. This chapter we see a bit more Kyoya being developed, as well as Toru. I hope to continually develop Toru every chapter, but I have also been trying to develop one of the other characters in each chapter. Next chapter we will either see Honey or Mori. I'll be happy to see your guesses in review. :) As usual, **I'll update early for +10 reviews**, otherwise I'll update next Saturday. **Thanks everyone who alerted and/or reviewed already!** I really do appreciate it.


	5. Episode One: The Softer Side

_**A/N:** I changed the summary. Please let me know what you think in the comments. :)_

* * *

**Episode One: The Softer Side**

Toru leaned back in her chair, confusion plainly evident on her face. Kyoya pressed on, "Your "duties" would be to keep the girls entertained while they wait for their time slot. Your goal is to keep them excited, rather than charm them, per se. You will, of course, need to meet our standards of conduct and appearance."

Toru had the feeling yellow silk was in her future, though it didn't particularly bother her. "So socialize and have fun with the customers?" She questioned. It was exactly the opposite of what she had set out to do with her time at Ouran.

"While it may work out in your favor, keep in mind first and foremost that they are here to have a good time and we are here to ensure that. Think of yourself as my public relations liaison." Kyoya adjusted his glasses, sending a glare her way, "Your duties won't start until your arm is healed."

There was silence as Toru absorbed her new status and its implications. She couldn't fathom how he'd come to the conclusion that such a task would be in her skill set. She'd never once shown a proclivity for socializing with students before. She needed time to weigh her options.

Her phone went off in Kaoru's hand suddenly, he cracked up and Hikaru leaned over to look, "Haha, your phone says its time to visit candy mountain."

Honey got really excited, "I want to go to candy mountain!"

Toru chuckled, happy to be distracted from Kyoya's announcement, and opened her pill bottles, "Sorry Honey, it's not really candy mountain, but I did visit there after the doc gave me the first dose..." snickering, she took the recommended amount. "Apparently I have a strong reaction to these, so I'm going to take a nap in about thirty minutes. My dignity is safer that way." This seemed to spark some interest in the Twins. Honey beamed with an amused look. Toru paused suddenly, "How in hell am I getting home?"

Honey bounced in place, "With me and Takeshi! We'll take you and Haruhi home after club."

Tamaki looked ready to pout, but Toru cut him off, "Aww, thanks Honey-chan!" She looked across at Kyoya. "I need to ask you a favor."

He smirked and adjusted his glasses, "I'm listening."

Toru looked him straight in the eyes, "It would be in _our_ best interest if you made a phone call for me."

The Shadow King smirked, "I've already taken care of it."

Toru's eyebrow quirked, but then she grinned and shook her head, "Kyoya-kun, you really are amazing. You will probably rule the world one day." Toru was just happy she didn't have to break the news of her injuries to Rankapoppa. Kyoya would have more tact at such a feat than Toru could ever manage, and _maybe_ now the man wouldn't have a panic attack when he saw her.

"If that's all, we can adjourn for today," Kyoya looked over to Tamaki who nodded.

Toru held up her hand, "It's been a while, yeah? Shouldn't Haruhi be back by now?"

The twins shrugged, "Maybe he skipped today?"

Toru took a sip of her newly refilled tea, courtesy of Mori, "Are there any tests coming up in your class?" She could envision Haruhi wandering off in search of a quieter place to study.

They shrugged, "Nothing especially important." Hikaru had gone back to his PSP, Kaoru was leaning against him watching. They seemed bored with their favorite plaything missing, and while they loved to tease Toru when the chance arose, she was too injured to withstand their exhausting attention.

"If he doesn't show up in ten minutes, I'll go look for him," Tamaki offered happily. The thought of some alone time with his cute little son made him cheerful. It was hard to tell , the blonde prince was always a little bit on the cracked side, but he certainly seemed more apt to squealing when it came to Haruhi.

"Check the libraries," Toru mused. Haruhi would probably imagine even the noisy library to be less troublesome than the twins and Tamaki together. The thought made her grin a little. They might be disruptive, but they were good for the younger girl. Haruhi needed a little more spark in her life and Toru couldn't always be the one to ignite it.

Then she stiffened suddenly, "You think Haruhi's okay, right?" The others seemed to catch onto what she was thinking and tensed. Toru had been surprise attacked when she was alone earlier that very day, was it possible that Haruhi had met the same fate? The thought made her blood run cold. Haruhi was so little, so petite, she was even less capable of defending herself than Toru.

Once again, Kyoya showed how many steps ahead of everyone else he was. "Don't worry, if Haruhi were in danger we would already know." He adjusted his glasses, his posture bordering on cocky. Toru didn't know if Kyoya actually had Haruhi tailed, but she got the distinct impression that if he wanted to know what the freshmen was up to, a quick call would remedy the situation. She didn't have much time to think the matter over or be impressed by her classmate's forethought because her mind was beginning to feel uncooperative and sluggish.

Toru lost focus as the room seemed to blur a little and change. Tamaki was gone now. Kyoya had moved to his desk and was probably balancing their budget. The twins were both playing games, Kaoru had the PSP and from the sound of things Hikaru was playing Amateur Surgeon on her phone. Honey was staring down a huge piece of chocolate cake. Mori was reading in the same spot he'd been in before.

She suddenly felt like she had no strength, like the weight of it had bled through her fingertips and left her dizzy with emptiness. It felt like forever before her mouth could form the words and even then, they came out hushed and slurred, "Take Usa." Mori leaned over and grabbed the bunny from the crook of her arm, handing it to Honey. The others hadn't seemed to notice her quiet struggle.

Everyone was shocked when Mori lunged forward suddenly. The sound of a tea cup shattering broke the calm atmosphere. Mori crouched in front of Toru who was kind of slumped over him. "Gomennn..." she drawled out, but she didn't move. Her face was pressed into Mori's shoulder.

Kyoya was standing behind Mori, reading the labels on Toru's pill bottles. "Is that a normal reaction?" Kaoru questioned. The Twins leaned over. Hikaru switched off her phone and laid it by her medicine.

"Jusss...need nap," Her voice was muffled, her face still pressed into Mori's shoulder, "Be okay." The thick, slow quality of her speech certainly made her sound heavily drugged.

Kyoya looked at Mori. The senior nodded and lifted her up bridal style. Kyoya whipped out his phone. "I'll alert the urgent care facility and arrange for Haruhi to get home on her own."

* * *

Takashi was an instinctual person. That was why he had been named the Wild type. His loyalty and devotion to Mitsukuni were the driving force in his life, the anchor that kept him steady. Caring for Mitsukuni was his purpose and he was backed by generations of tradition. There weren't many things a Morinozuka could hide from a Haninozuka, just as there was little that Mitsukuni could hide from Takashi. Right now, every instinct in Takashi's body told him that Mitsukuni was growing attached to the girl at his side. Takashi didn't need a reason beyond that to help her, though there certainly _were_ other reasons that supported his decision. He was raised to be a gentleman and knew there was honor in helping a damsel in distress, it didn't hurt that Toru was fond of Mitsukuni and Haruhi was so charming.

In general he wasn't one to over-think things, but in quiet moments like these, when Mitsukuni was brooding, he put his mind to the task of figuring out how to ease the smaller senior's troubles. Right now, the source of the trouble was 100% Fujioka Toru. It wasn't the first time he'd seen Mitsukuni's eyes dim or his smile falter over the girl.

Takashi was still in a state of mild shock over the fact that "Inu-chan" was actually a pretty girl named Toru. The memory brought an embarrassed blush up across his nose. In a way it all made sense, Honey was so fond of cute things, but Takashi had never felt more shocked than when his eyes had caught sight of her wearing that rather provocative shirt. He'd been expecting to see an overweight teenage boy and instead he got...Toru. She'd just looked up at him nonchalantly, not a care in those exotic eyes of hers. His image of Fujioka Toru had been irrevocably changed.

It began the moment she walked up, called Mitsukuni a Cutie Pie, and gave him a chocolate Usa-sucker. Takashi had seen Toru around before. She snuck along the edges of the crowd in that pink hoodie (with the school emblem) that matched the walls of every building on campus. She hadn't spoken. She had never made a fuss. She hadn't done anything noteworthy, so like everyone else, he'd let her slip into the background noise of the school. Then out of nowhere Toru showed up in their club room. She came in with Haruhi and actually interacted with Mitsukuni. She soothed him.

There was something about Toru that set her apart from Honey's fawning guests. She was every bit as affectionate as Honey was. They both cooed over the same cute things, and most importantly, they provoked a sense of playfulness in each other. They were always randomly pouncing on each other, playing games, cracking _terrible_ jokes and laughing wildly after. Toru's reactions were instant and sincere, though this was a side of her that she rarely shared with the others. Even the two seniors had only caught glimpses of this behavior before Toru seemed to remember herself and hide away once more. With Kyoya, the twins, and even with Haruhi, she was composed, reserved, and seemed to think before acting.

Toru was hiding something. The seniors and Kyoya all knew there was more to this girl than she let on. She wore a mask, but Takashi had a feeling that what he and Mitsukuni saw was closer to the real Toru. "_Why would she hide her happy self away?"_ Mitsukuni's question echoed in his mind. It was a puzzle that the blonde had mentioned several times over the last week. It was something that provoked Takashi's own, more tame curiosity. Something was just off about the girl.

"Takashi," the little senior's softly spoken voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "Do you think she'll be alright?"

Takashi looked over and the girl who was sleeping peacefully, her head lolled over just enough to rest on his shoulder. He couldn't see her wounds from this angle, just the top of her head and those funny puppy buns she'd put her hair in. The trip to the Urgent Care center had been rather short. The doctor assured them that she'd had a similar reaction earlier and that she'd be fine. Still, if his friend needed extra reassurance he was capable of complying, "Ah."

Mitsukuni smiled slightly, his expressive eyes sliding over to the girl. "MMA," he mused, "I'd have never guessed. She's only shown interest in _cute_ things." Hugging Usa-chan close, he glanced back at Takashi, "She let slip a secret today, did you notice?"

Takashi thought back to his interactions with her. He'd served her refreshments during the meeting. It was silly for her to try on her own with one arm in a sling. It didn't seem like she was used to being taken care of. She'd looked tired, sore, and just a little out of it. It made sense that she might have let something slip in the haze that seemed to cloud her. Focusing more on what she'd said, rather than what she'd done, it took him half a minute to realize what Mitsukuni's ever observant nature had picked up on. The answer hadn't come directly from Toru's mouth, but through the Twins instead.

Toru had started to doze off just before Tamaki wandered away to find Haruhi. The twins spoke about how they found her on the stairwell and what she'd told them afterward when Kyoya patched her up. It was clear that they were half impressed and half exasperated with her. Hikaru had mimicked her voice as he recited some of the more interesting bits.

"_What screwed me was getting my ass judo tossed down the stairs. I'm the only fighter in the history of my family whose kryptonite is judo throws."_

It hit him like a shinai to the skull. According to what they knew about Haruhi she didn't have fighters in her family, but more importantly Haruhi didn't even have much of a family history. It was just her, her dad, and Toru of course. On the other hand, the twins' statement, suggested that Toru's family was different. "Ah," he confirmed.

"Lets invite Toru over to spar," the little blonde's smile blossomed as he squeezed Usa-chan. "We can make sure her takedown defense doesn't get her tossed down the stairs again," his voice was still enthusiastic, but Takashi didn't miss the concerned edge. "I wonder if we'll recognize her fighting style," he mused. Takashi watched the dreamy look take over Mitsukuni's countenance, the blonde's posture relaxing slightly. It didn't escape the tall senior's notice that every time those honey eyes strayed to Toru's injuries, his face grew anxious once more.

Takashi looked to the girl at his side. She was an entertaining little mystery in cute wrappings. Mitsukuni wasn't one to deny himself the things he wanted and this secretive little girl was, for the moment, something the blonde wanted to discover. Takashi couldn't help but wonder what it was about this girl that captivated his friend so easily.

* * *

The room seemed to warp again, it was darker now and smelled different. She was leaning to the right, against something warm and decidedly rigid. Her eyes focused. _No, not a room,_ she thought. She was in a car...a limo actually. Toru saw Honey sitting across from her, clutching Usa-chan worriedly, as he watched her back. She'd never seen him with such an expression, though his eyes had hinted at it when he'd discovered her injuries after Tamaki had mistaken her for a customer.

Toru murmured something, but her pillow seemed unhappy about it. She took a deep breath and willed some focus into her thoughts, "Ne, Mitsu-chi, no frownies." It sounded much better in her head. Her tongue felt thick and she knew she was dehydrated. She stared at Honey until he cracked a grin. It wasn't his usual beaming, flower power smile. It was the smile of someone who didn't know if they should be worried, amused, or insulted. She grinned in return. "That's it, happy thoughts."

Honey's expression grew decidedly more amused. She focused on his smile. It and her moody pillow anchored her into reality, "Joke time," she stated softly, "This is one my sister always told _me_. Wanna know who sucks at Judo?" She paused, grinning slowly, like the Cheshire cat, "J'yoo do." Honey's face warped into stunned disbelief before he burst out giggling at the lame humor. She wasn't sure if the pillow approved.

"You're feeling better," Honey stated.

Toru grinned and shut her eyes, her thoughts were feeling less sluggish. "Still very tired, but I'm okay. We can probably skip the Urgent Care."

Honey grinned and laughed again, "Toru-chan, we were already there! The doctor said to only take half during the day from now on if you want to stay awake."

She blinked at his statement, she must have been _really _out of it. She also began to notice the person-like qualities of her pillow and straightened up, looking over. Mori gazed back at her placidly. Toru grinned suddenly, the tang of blood sharpened her senses, but the silly thought in her head was too powerful to resist. "Mori-kun, you are the most talkative pillow I've ever had."

Silence.

Honey's laughter filled the air and Toru heard a thud that was probably the little senior falling over in his seat. She was too busy watching the blush crawl over Mori's cheeks. She laughed, "It's not a bad thing you know," she chastised playfully, completely misinterpreting his thoughts. She sat up on her own and smiled sleepily, rubbing her free hand over her face.

"Ne, Toru-chan," she looked over at Honey who was gazing at her happily, "would you like to come train at Takashi's house after you get better? It's hard work, but together it'll be fun!" He had his finger in the air as if making a declaration. She could see a spark of determination behind his enthusiasm.

"Really?" Her excitement at the idea was obvious. Cheeks flushed, her eyes dreamy, it was as if she had learned the host's cute pose technique and flowers sprouted all around her. The boys gave her a thumbs up in response.

She grinned, "That would be _awesome_," her voice seemed heavier for a moment, like she was battling with a wave of drowsiness. When she spoke again, it was to tease Mori, "Ne, Mori-kun, you shouldn't worry, I promise not to hit you _very_ hard."

The soft noise he made in response may or may not have been a snort. Honey broke out in laughter again and Toru couldn't help but giggle. They settled back into a comfortable quiet and Toru soaked in the peace. She had more allies. _Maybe _even friends.

_Maybe._

* * *

Toru didn't know what could have kept Haruhi at school long enough so that the younger girl was walking up to their building as Honey's limo pulled away, but she did notice the younger girl's backpack was dripping wet. What with the difficult task of climbing the stairs in her current state, she decided to save her questions for later. It was a slow process, but she finally made it up to their apartment and Haruhi opened the door for her.

If there was an award for "Most Enthusiastic Parent of the Year" Ranka would hold all the trophies. So when Haruhi arrived with her backpack dripping wet and he got a look at just how swollen poor Toru's face was, he lost his marbles.

Toru found Rankapoppa hard to follow sometimes, but she delighted in the attention, unlike Haruhi who became rather grouchy. Ranka flitted between them like a hummingbird, commenting on Haruhi's damp things and Toru's various injuries. He even managed to sneak in a, "And I _told_ you how lovely you'd look in Chantilly lace. Haruhi, you should take after Toru and wear the top I got you! The color is perfect for your eyes and then my two girls would match!" At that point he imagined the two of them frolicking through a flower field and began to squeal.

Haruhi rolled her eyes. "Knock it off, will you? I need to lay my stuff out to dry and start on dinner." She dodged her father and disappeared into her room.

Ranka watched as Toru eased her own backpack off and carefully maneuvered herself to the floor. She was wincing and holding her palm gently over her ribs by the end of it. "Toru dear, would you like some tea?"

"Yes, Rankapoppa," she smiled at him and he couldn't help but lean over and tug at one of her hair buns playfully. Toru was so different from Haruhi, but it didn't matter, they were both his.

He went to make tea quickly before Haruhi could catch him. He wasn't completely useless in the kitchen, but she'd had to clean up some of his more creative concoctions a few too many times and now she herded him out like a toddler whenever she could. She was so stubborn and independent, never letting him take care of her.

Toru, on the other hand accepted whatever attention he offered. They went shopping together and she enthusiastically participated in some of his wilder schemes at getting a rise out of Haruhi. She was fiercely protective of his little girl. Toru provoked Haruhi into playing with her and Haruhi made sure Toru didn't drift from her school work too often. It was a nice balance.

He heard Haruhi's door slide open and froze. If she came into the kitchen, she would undoubtedly scold him. Instead, he could hear her padding softly towards the table where he knew Toru was sitting. He waited silently.

Ranka's attention perked when their murmuring voices raised slightly. "Urrrrrg!" That frustrated _growl_ had definitely come from the more animated Toru. Haruhi said something in a soothing voice, but it was too quiet to hear.

When the tea kettle started to hiss, he pulled it off the stove before it could make much noise. Tea service in hand he stealthily made his way back, intending to surprise Haruhi with tea and proof that he wouldn't burn the kitchen down. What he heard just before he turned the corner made him raise his eyebrows in surprise.

"But Haruhi, if you don't let me do something, she'll continue to-"

"Shhh, its fine."

The girls caught sight of him and stopped talking. Haruhi looked at him, mildly surprised, her eyes were narrowed at the tea service. Toru's gaze slid back to Haruhi and her lips were pursed, something that probably caused her pain given the stitches he knew were on the inside of her lip.

Haruhi spoke first, her voice flat, "If I go into the kitchen, am I going to find everything strewn about the counters?"

Ranka sweatdropped. He had, in fact, forgotten to put everything away. _Wait, did I turn off the burner?_ He moved to intercept Haruhi as she got up and instead handed her the tray. "I decided we're having take out, so make sure Toru drinks some tea and then why don't you order for us!" He chirped before disappearing back to the kitchen.

Haruhi hung her head and deadpanned, "That wasn't suspicious at all."

Toru grinned as they heard cabinet doors shutting a little too loudly for Rankapoppa's stealth mission. "Well, at least he's cleaning up." She accepted her tea cup from Haruhi.

"That's kind of what I'm worried about. Last time he put the tea in the spice cabinet and it took me two days to find it." She walked over to the drawer where they kept all the take-out menus.

"Want anything in particular?"

"Sushi? I'll pay," the older girl shrugged, "but I don't really care, although that ramen place is probably out. Too hot for my lip."

Haruhi gave a rare smile and pulled out a menu with colorful pictures of sushi. Toru was happy that they both loved sushi. Haruhi didn't indulge enough on her own and Toru probably indulged too much. "_I'll probably marry a sushi chef,_" the older girl had once admitted dreamily.

When Ranka was done he found the girls leaning on each other at the table, sharing a menu with starry eyes. Toru's face was resting against Haruhi's shoulder and Haruhi was just barely resting her head on top of Toru's. His heart skipped a beat, warmth spreading through his chest.

The girls didn't know how Ranka teleported behind them, but both froze in shock when he pounced, enveloping them in a very noisy hug. "Oh, you're both so cute!"

* * *

**_A/N_**_: Majior thanks to **MissVampyre** and **AoiKuroNekoSan** for truly excellent work editing this chapter as my beta readers, and on such short notice too. Many-many thanks to __**MissVampyre, **__**AoiKuroNekoSan, **__**minatu-chan**, and **SarcamSpeaksVolumes **(Ryanabeth) for filling out my questionnaire over chapters 1-4 and providing some critical feedback. I'll be able to edit them in a coupe of weeks and make them really nice now.** I'd love to hear what all of my lovely readers think as well, so please drop me a line and let me know.** __Please let me know if you have any questions about terminology or anything you're unsure about. :)_

_._

_**Takedown defense** is literally the ability to avoid being thrown, tossed, or pulled the the ground in Judo, Jiu Jutsu, and Mixed Martial Arts. To be good against a person who knows Judo or Jiu Jutsu, you must master takedown defense and/or learn to counter their attempts. If you were to come from a family who taught Judo and sucked at takedown defense, it would be like owning a bank and having to file for bankruptcy.  
_


	6. Episode One: Beginning of the End

**Episode One: Beginning of the End **

Toru was in a bad mood. She'd forgone her pain medication altogether in hopes of getting through the day with a clear head. It had proven to be a _massively _poor decision. Nothing seemed to go right. She stubbed her toe, spilled hot soup during breakfast, tripped (bruising her knee), and dropped all of her books on the way to homeroom.

After lunch nothing the teachers covered made sense because she'd missed those classes the day before. To make it worse, upon her entrance Tamaki made a huge scene that had caused all the girls to squeal with either compassion or envy. Kyoya took one look at her usual school hoodie and khakis ensemble, smirked like a smug bastard and coolly informed her that it wasn't up to Host Club standards. She felt like a moron for forgetting to wear something more appropriate to her new status.

Between her throbbing shoulder and the competing ache behind her eyes, she had less control over her calm facade than usual. Her temper was frighteningly threadbare by the time she reached the 3rd music room after class.

So when she found out Ayanokoji had booked Haruhi's last appointment for the day, it took all of Toru's willpower to keep from outright growling at Kyoya. Instead she glared pointedly and clenched her teeth. Her "mysterious" frustration served only to amuse him. Still, Haruhi's words about the prissy bitch floated through her mind like an undying echo until Toru was sure one solid right hook would end both of their problems. The brat walked through the door, and Toru wasn't able to do anything about it with the boys and their guests watching. It was a bitter pill to swallow.

Haruhi was too damn selfless but Toru was in no mood to accommodate that nonsense after Ayanokoji's stunt. Toru _would_ deal with Ayanokoji in her own way, but she'd have to be subtle to keep Haruhi out of it. Toru would have to be really clever to keep from getting caught. Especially with Kyoya around.

Unfortunately Kyoya, a master of manipulation, drew her attention elsewhere. At first, he asked her to fill out some paperwork. Haruhi's section was placed on the other side of the room when he'd noticed Toru was checking on the rookie two or three times a minute. Then he gave her some pamphlets on different camera models to research.

Finally, he'd given her a notebook with information on their regular customers and asked her to memorize it. It was filled with names, their importance, designated host history, and some basic "likes and dislikes" to help as conversation starters. Had she been in a better mood Toru would have been awed by his thorough approach to her training. Instead it felt tedious.

She was as gracious as possible, which given her current state, meaning that she sat across from him at the "work" desk in a tense silence. Kyoya ignored her except to give her subtle hints if a customer was approaching so she could close the notebook. It was a work arrangement that suited her mood just fine.

She hadn't quite finished flipping through the pages when Kyoya stood suddenly, "If you can't restrain yourself, please remain here." She didn't have time to contemplate the mysterious nature of his words before the sound of shattering glass, and a shrill scream broke the disgustingly cheerful atmosphere of the 3rd music room. "No Haruhi, leave me alone!"

"Somebody help, he just attacked me!" Ayanokoji was laying on the ground, it looked like Haruhi had fallen on top of her. Rose petals fell around them like eerie crimson rain. "Someone do something, teach this commoner a lesson!" The girls around the room watched quietly, worried expressions on their faces.

Toru responded instinctually. She started across the room, teeth bared before she even realized what she was doing.

The Twins had been the closest. They suddenly stood over Haruhi and Ayanokoji, and dumped water on them. Haruhi, placid as ever, just straightened her clothes up. Tamaki came over and helped Ayanokoji up. "Do something, Tamaki! Haruhi just assaulted me."

Toru paused on her warpath, stricken with a jolt of fear. Who would the Host club believe? Her heart sank when Tamaki spoke, "I'm disappointed in you."

A cold feeling started in her chest and shot outwards. The reaction was so unexpected, so intense, that her knees gave way for a moment. She had to lean heavily on one of the marble columns. "You threw his bag into the pond, didn't you?" Hazel eyes snapped upwards, locking on the scene ahead of her.

Haruhi was still sitting in a puddle of water, her eyes wide with something akin to awe. The twins stood very closely behind her, wearing expressions of disgust. Tamaki had Ayanokoji's attention. There was a sad smile on his face. The others were facing the same direction as Toru, so she couldn't see their expressions. Kyoya stood as calmly as ever, with his arms crossed and his notebook in hand. Mori and Honey were the closest to Toru. Honey was standing slightly behind the taller senior, peaking around his back. Together all of them had created a protective barrier of sorts, with Haruhi in the center. Toru was overcome with emotions she couldn't separate or identify. Her eyes filled with tears.

"How can you say that, you don't have any proof!" The bully was panicking. It would be an odd thing to say if she were truly innocent.

"You know, you're a beautiful girl, but you just aren't classy enough to be our guest, dear. If there's one thing I know, Haruhi is not that kind of a man." Tamaki concluded.

Ayanokoji began to cry. "Tamaki, you idiot!" She turned and ran towards the door, where Toru was standing in her way. Ayanokoji stopped when she saw Toru. Ayanokoji's eyes, which had been filled with anger and sadness, hardened with fury as the two girls locked sights on one another. Another sob wrenched from Ayanokoji's throat. She darted around Toru and fled the scrutiny of the 3rd Music Room.

Toru turned and left as well, retreating to the prep room. She felt too emotional, too raw, too everything. She needed to stop and breathe for a moment. There was a telltale rim of red around her eyes. Her cheeks and nose were flushed with emotion.

She turned on the faucet, letting the icy water soothe her frayed nerves as she washed her face. It was such a simple gesture, but it helped her put her feelings in check. She stuffed them back down into some semblance of control. It was a practiced routine. By now she could accomplish this with only a scant amount of alone time to recuperate.

Hauruhi came in, dripping wet, and carrying two brown paper bags. "Kyoya-san gave me this for you and I'm going to borrow this one." Toru took the offered bag. Behind the safety of Honey's curtain Toru leaned over and pulled Haruhi into a shaky hug.

"Toru-chan? You're going to get wet..." Haruhi's voice was hesitant.

Toru shook her head. _I don't care. _Toru's embrace tightened marginally.

After a second Haruhi hugged her back. "I get it. You were worried. You always do this when you're worried about me." Haruhi pulled back and reached up, ruffling Toru's hair, "I'll be okay." Toru gave her friend a watery smile and they both started changing.

Toru wasn't wearing all the layers of the posh boys' uniform and so even with a bum arm, her task was accomplished much more quickly than Haruhi's. She grinned when she saw the yellow silk. She had just finished adjusting it and slipping back into her sling while Haruhi was barely getting her button up shirt off.

Tamaki's voice rang out from just behind the curtain, "Haruhi, here you go. I brought you some towels." The curtain was pulled open. Haruhi stood there, her slip top visible. Tamaki froze for just a second before sliding the curtain closed again.

"Haruhi?" His voice was unusually calm.

"Yeah?" Toru watched as Haruhi picked up the pace, getting dressed much more quickly.

"So...you're a girl." At Tamaki's question Toru's legs gave out and she had to catch herself on the table. _What is with these boys? _

"Biologically speaking, yeah." Toru couldn't help but grin painfully at Haruhi's response. It was so very...well, Haruhi of her. The petite brunette finished changing and slid the curtain open. The effect of her looking all adorable in the girls' uniform was instant and loud, with noises of approval from the boys. Tamaki came truly undone before Toru's eyes. It looked like his brain was stuttering.

"Listen senpai, I don't really care if you guys think of me as a boy or a girl," the girls stood facing each other. Toru adjusted the ribbon at Haruhi's throat as Haruhi did the same for her. "In my opinion, its more important for a person to be recognized for who they are rather than for what sex they are."

Finished, Toru stepped away. Haruhi looked so cute and cool and composed. Her admiration for the younger girl blossomed in an unrestrained smile that brightened her countenance in a way the boys hadn't seen before.

Tamaki was fidgeting, his composure in a tattered state. Kyoya, who was closest to him, smirked. "Well isn't this an interesting development." Toru didn't doubt that he had known about Haruhi's true gender all along.

The twins followed up with an, "_Oh yeah_."

"You know, I have to say, Senpai, I thought you were pretty cool earlier." Haruhi smiled at Tamaki. Toru saw his blush. It began quite rosy in his cheeks then bloomed to cover his ears and neck as well.

It was a sight to see. All eyes were on him. Tamaki made a strangled noise as Kyoya murmured, "Could this possibly be the beginnings of love?"

"You know, being a Host and getting fussed over by girls might not be all that bad." Haruhi turned towards the mirror. Toru moved beside her as they looked over their appearances.

"That's true," Toru began. "I think we're going to have _fun_." The girls grinned at each other through their reflections. "How are you going to pull it off?" Toru questioned.

The boys moved to stand behind them, they all had the same amused expression, except for Tamaki who was still in a mild state of shock. Haruhi rested her chin in her hand as she thought. "I've got it," Inspiration cutely brightened her expression. "I'll just call everyone dude and bro now."

The girls broke into a fit of giggles at the same time.

* * *

Over the next two weeks Toru's wounds started to fade. Though many inquiries had been made and several of the Host members had done a little private digging of their own, no information on Toru's attacker could be found. Toru visited the Karate and Judo clubs, even inspecting some practice gear to see if she recognized the mask, but their headgear didn't look like what she was looking for. Despite the lack of clues, Toru never forgot what had happened and kept a wary eye open whenever she was alone in the open.

Kyoya continued to chastise her about her slobbish clothes. She stubbornly reminded him that her duties didn't start until _after_ her arm was fully healed, throwing his own words back at him. She gave the impression that his teasing remarks from the day after the incident had offended her, but he thought it had more to do with her stubborn nature. He buried her in tedious paper work that she was supposed to be memorizing. She was _positive_ it was in retaliation. It was a battle to see who was more stubborn and could outlast the other...Toru was destined to lose.

Ayanokoji's exile had been swift and complete. With the most popular boys in school publicly snubbing her, their core group of guests followed suit. It didn't take long for rumors about her conduct to spread. Even students that didn't frequent the club were either appalled by her behavior or afraid to show favor to someone who had made an enemy of arguably some of the most powerful families in Ouran.

She withdrew with all the dignity of a rabid zombie. Her pride was immense, her ego bruised. She lashed out at those few brave enough to show her even small kindnesses, saying they were beneath what her privilege and status deserved. Ayanokoji became a wraith, walking alone. She was a queen with no court.

Toru couldn't find it within herself to pity the girl. When they had met for the first time after the incident it was in a crowded hall. An intense stare down had taken place. The other students flowed around them, chatting animatedly, completely unaware of the charged atmosphere between the two girls. Hazel eyes blazed from a strangely passive face. Grey eyes sparked with a cold flame and then the priss sneered haughtily in challenge. They both refused to step out of the way. Then Tamaki's voice drew near, lilting above the chatter. Ayanokoji blanched, a look of pain crossed her face, and she fled.

Toru spent countless hours reflecting on how the Host Club had handled the situation. They had protected Haruhi's reputation, her position within the school, and her very future. They knew full well she was a so called 'commoner,' and Ayanokoji's blood was bluer than most of the pedigreed students that walked the halls of Ouran. Still they had chosen to stick up for _Haruhi._ It was something Toru, nor Haruhi, would ever forget. It was something the older girl wasn't quite sure she could ever repay.

Haruhi caught her staring off into space one day, unagi roll frozen midair between her motionless chopsticks. Normally when the older girl came to visit for lunch, she was animated and wanted to know everything about what had transpired that morning. It was especially strange as the two girls had taken such pains to escape the twins. They were currently eating their bentos in the gardens, hidden by giant rose bushes.

It then occurred to Haruhi that Toru had been acting rather strangely for the last couple of weeks. Generally the tall girl was alert, observing everything around her as she interacted and chatted with Haruhi. Lately Toru had been focused inward, oblivious to the world. It reminded Haruhi of another time when Toru wasn't doing so well and hadn't let anyone in.

"Did something happen?"

Toru's eyes focused on the younger girl, "Huh?" She popped the piece of sushi into her mouth. Haruhi could tell she delighted in the flavors of the teriyaki smoked eel and avocado.

"You've just been really quiet lately. Is everything okay?" She watched Toru suspiciously and then quietly added, "You're not having nightmares again, are you?"

Toru's eyebrows raised. Her surprised expression was freely visible. Haruhi had noticed that the older girl had stopped bothering with hiding behind the hood after her "promotion." She watched Toru take a breath as thought over the words a beat longer than was typical.

"No more than usual."

The younger girl frowned slightly. Leaning forward, she spoke in the same hushed tones as previously, "Is it h-"

"It's not that," Her reply was quick, as if she feared what would happen if Haruhi finished that sentence aloud. Her eyes scrunched closed, her right hand shot out to touch Haruhi's arm.

After a second, she relaxed and ran a hand through her hair, "I was actually thinking about the Host Club."

"Oh...that gives me nightmares too."

Toru half grinned and shook her head. "I just mean that...well," she paused and struggled to find the right words, "They seem...reliable." Haruhi didn't really know how to respond to that, so she stayed silent. Toru continued at the other girl's incredulous look. "Don't get me wrong, they're all freakin' whack-a-doodle," she added hastily. "Tamaki totally had a bromance going on with you and the twins are a pair of loopy fruits, but doesn't it seem like we're being drawn further into each other's...bubble?" The thought seemed rather depressing to Haruhi. They finished their lunch in a thoughtful silence.

Later that day, Toru was in class, doodling inattentively. They were waiting for the teacher of the next period class to show up. Toru wasn't even really aware that the last one had ended. She only looked up when a shadow fell over her paper.

"Hey, Fujioka-san. How are you doing today?"

Jōnōchi-san was smiling at her, a bit shyly. The girl had a slight build like Haruhi's, with long, straight black hair. Ayame Jōnōchi was the class vice-chairman of 2-A. She took her duties and school work very seriously and tried to be sociable with everyone in the class out of a sense of duty. She was quite chatty with some of the other students.

Toru had accepted her greetings with politeness in the past, but had never encouraged further conversation. Jōnōchi hadn't visited the Host Club since Toru had been working off her debt. Knowing she wasn't a regular guest made her, for some reason, want to chat with the younger girl. "I'm well, Jōnōchi-san. How are you?"

The vice-chairman's eyes widened in surprise when direct, open hazel eyes gazed back at her with interest. She had noticed the taller girl more than usual lately. It wasn't like she was performing karaoke in class or anything, but Tamaki brought attention to her a few times a day. It seemed like the girl was coming out of her shell. "Great! We have a test coming up and I've been studying super hard! I'm hoping to slide up from 3rd rank in class."

Toru looked a little surprised. "Oh crap, we have a test coming up?" She rifled through the papers on her desk, but instead of notes, she'd doodled or written nonsensical phrases in Western script, rather than Japanese characters. "Which class?"

Jōnōchi looked a little stunned. "Heh-heh, Fujioka-san...you're so funny." She didn't seem to think anyone would _actually _treat their school work with such inattention.

Toru stopped and looked up at her classmate. "Uh, sure..." She chuckled a little nervously.

The smaller girl smiled brightly. "I don't know what's changed, Fujioka-san, but I'm glad you're settling in a little better. It's good to see you interacting with the class a little more," she rolled her eyes good naturedly, "even if you are hanging out with that weirdo Suoh-san."

Toru got the idea that Jōnōchi viewed Tamaki as some sort of rival, but she couldn't fathom why that would be. "Uh, thanks, Jōnōchi-san."

"Why don't you call me Ayame, okay?" It seemed that she was willing to be much friendlier now that Toru didn't seem to mind.

"Sure, Ayame-chan. You can call me Toru."

"Toru-chan!" Tamaki's dulcet tone seemed to sing from the front of the room before Ayame could respond. At his voice Ayame rolled her eyes, shook her head and shot a polite smile to Toru before heading back to her own seat.

Toru stacked her papers back together and walked over to where Tamaki sat next to Kyoya. "Yes, Tamaki-kun?"

"I was just wondering if commoners knew how to dance..." He had his cheek resting on his hands and his amethyst eyes had a dreamy look to them.

"Uh...that depends on the person," Toru's eyebrows were raised. Sometimes she just really couldn't believe the silly things that came out of that boy's mouth.

"What about you, Toru. Can you dance? Specifically it would be the Waltz." Kyoya's voice was smug. There was a quirk to the corner of his lips. It was the kind of expression he got just before he conned her into doing something she wasn't going to enjoy.

Her eyes narrowed. "Its not my best style, but yes actually, I've had a bit of experience." She watched his eyes widen slightly before the glare on his lenses hid his thoughts.

"Well then, I'll set up a time for you to show us. We need to make sure you will able to represent us well when needed..." Kyoya's attention slid back to his notebook and he started making a few notes.

Toru's eyebrows raised in confusion. They didn't immediately say anything else, so she started heading back to her seat.

"Toru..." Tamaki's voice was unusually thoughtful. He continued when she paused to listen.

"What kind of dance are you best at?"

Her careless answer shocked both of the boys. Kyoya's pencil lead broke mid-sentence. She was already on her way back to her desk when she looked over her shoulder and with a fondness that she'd never shown them spoke in a warm tone, "_Samba_."

* * *

**_A/N:_**_ Yay! We've finally finished the first episode! Don't worry, not every episode is going to have this many chapters. Thanks again to **AoiKuroNekoSan** and **MissVampyre** who edited this chapter. My update schedule is changing soon. I'm in the middle of a move. Check my profile on Monday to see the new schedule. _

**_I respond to all signed reviews! Let me know what you think about The Sister Type!_**


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